2011 New Mexico Statutes
Chapter 62: Electric, Gas and Water Utilities
Article 17: Efficient Use of Energy, 62-17-1 through 62-17-11
Section 62-17-2: Findings.

62-17-2. Findings.

The legislature finds that:

A. energy efficiency and load management are cost-effective resources that are an essential component of the balanced resource portfolio that public utilities must achieve to provide affordable and reliable energy to public utility consumers;

B. energy efficiency and load management in New Mexico are resources that are currently underutilized, and it is necessary and appropriate to provide rate treatment and financial incentives to public utilities to develop all cost-effective and achievable energy efficiency and load management resources;

C. public and municipal utility energy efficiency and load management programs present opportunities to increase New Mexico's energy security, protect New Mexico energy consumers from price increases, preserve the state's natural resources and pursue an improved environment in New Mexico;

D. energy efficiency and load management programs by public utilities in accordance with the Efficient Use of Energy Act can bring significant economic benefits to New Mexico;

E. it serves the public interest to support public utility development of all cost-effective energy efficiency and load management by removing, to the extent possible, regulatory disincentives and allowing recovery of costs for reasonable and prudently incurred expenses of energy efficiency and load management programs and also allowing public utilities the opportunity to earn a profit on cost-effective energy efficiency and load management resource development that, with satisfactory program performance, is financially more attractive than developing supply-side resources, while at the same time ensuring it is done in a manner that balances the public interest, consumers' interests and investors' interests;

F. utility energy efficiency and load management programs for economically disadvantaged New Mexicans, in conjunction with low-income weatherization programs managed by the state of New Mexico, will reduce the burden of utility costs on low-income customers;

G. cost-effective energy efficiency and load management programs undertaken by public utilities can provide significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, regulated air emissions, water consumption and natural resource depletion, and can avoid or delay the need for more expensive generation, transmission and distribution infrastructure;

H. New Mexico should participate in regional efforts to reduce energy consumption by twenty percent by 2020 through programs to reduce energy consumption;

I. public utility resource planning to meet New Mexico's energy service needs should be identified and evaluated on an ongoing basis in accordance with the principles of integrated resource planning; and

J. it is necessary and appropriate to allow distribution cooperative utilities to participate in the implementation of energy efficiency programs in ways that differ from rules applicable to public utilities that are not customer owned.