(SANTA FE, NM—JUNE 17)—The New Mexico Public Regulation Commission (PRC) will hold a public workshop on the Community Solar Act Rulemaking on June 24. At this technical workshop, stakeholders will have an opportunity to provide input regarding rules for the legislation that will be implemented by the PRC. The input solicited from the public will be regarding consumer protection, ratemaking issues, market oversight, community outreach and involvement, and information collection. The workshop will begin at 9:00 a.m. MDT on Thursday, June 24, 2021.

Any person who wishes to participate in the workshop should notify the Zoom host, Isaac Sullivan-Leshin no later than 5:00 p.m. MDT on June 22, 2021, by email at isaac.sullivan-leshin@state.nm.us. A Zoom invitation will be sent to all persons who provide sufficient and timely notice. The Zoom invitation will include a call-in phone number for those participants who are unable to use the Zoom platform.

Individuals merely wishing to view the workshop, may do so via streaming video on YouTube. The link can be found on the Commission’s website at www.nmprc.state.nm.us prior to the start of the workshop on June 24.

Any person who would like to submit written comments prior to the workshop and/or be added to the Commission’s email service list for this rulemaking proceeding should contact Jonas Armstrong at jonas.armstrong@state.nm.us.

During a recent PRC Open Meeting, PRC staff reported on the overwhelming response of interested applicants for Community Solar projects.

An official from Public Service Company of New Mexico, recently noted, "PNM is being inundated with requests to interconnect Community Solar projects...we've received 162 requests for 761 MW of capacity, which has caused us to spend a lot of time, resources and money to review the requests." 

A new Order, approved by the Commission at the same meeting, instructs utilities to provide notice to the applicants and potential applicants for Community Solar projects that a place on the utilities’ applicants queue does not provide an advantage, as the rules regarding the Community Solar Act will not be in place until on or before April 1, 2022.

The New Mexico Public Regulation Commission (PRC) regulates the utilities, telecommunications, and motor carrier industries to ensure fair and reasonable rates, and to assure reasonable and adequate services to the public as provided by law.The PRC also promotes public safety through the offices of State Fire Marshal, the Firefighter Training Academy, Pipeline Safety Bureau and Transportation Division.