Defending Clean Energy in New Mexico

Earthjustice and Vote Solar successfully intervened in several legal proceedings before the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission to block utility efforts to restrict rooftop solar and expand fossil fuel infrastructure. Key victories include stopping a $160 million expansion of the Newman Generating Station in 2021, preventing El Paso Electric from creating a discriminatory rate class for solar customers in 2015, and defeating a rate hike for renewable energy producers by Southwestern Public Service Company in 2016.

• In 2021, the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission rejected El Paso Electric's application to expand the Newman Generating Station, which serves the Las Cruces area. The expansion would have cost ratepayers $160 million over the plant's lifetime. Earthjustice and Vote Solar intervened, arguing that El Paso Electric misrepresented the capacity value of wind and solar alternatives and ignored climate risk, gas risk, and the benefits of time-of-use rates.
• In 2015, the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission blocked a proposal by El Paso Electric Company to create a separate, higher rate class for residential customers using rooftop solar and other distributed generation. The commission dismissed the proposal on the grounds that it would violate rules intended to ensure fair treatment of rooftop solar customers.
• In 2016, Earthjustice, Vote Solar, and attorney Jason Marks successfully opposed a proposal by Southwestern Public Service Company to increase a special charge on customers producing renewable energy at homes, schools, and farms in Southeastern New Mexico. As a result, most solar customers will see reductions in total surcharge fees rather than the proposed rate hike.

APA

Earthjustice (2020). Defending Clean Energy in New Mexico. https://earthjustice.org/case/defending-new-mexico-solar-customers

Chicago

Earthjustice. Defending Clean Energy in New Mexico. 2020. https://earthjustice.org/case/defending-new-mexico-solar-customers.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Earthjustice |title=Defending Clean Energy in New Mexico |date=16 December 2020 |url=https://earthjustice.org/case/defending-new-mexico-solar-customers |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{earthjustice2020defending, author = {{Earthjustice}}, title = {{Defending Clean Energy in New Mexico}}, institution = {Earthjustice}, year = {2020}, month = dec, url = {https://earthjustice.org/case/defending-new-mexico-solar-customers}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }