System Benefits Charge

As part of New Mexico’s Electric Utility Industry Restructuring Act of 1999 the legislature created the Electric Industry System Benefits Fund for renewable energy, customer education, and low-income assistance. The fund is created through a charge of 0.03¢/kWh beginning January 1, 2002 and doubling in 2007. The charge is collected from all electric utilities, both private and public. The funds will support renewable energy up to $4 million to be used by school districts, cities, towns, villages, or counties. Renewable technologies to be supported include solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, landfill gas, and hydropower. Consumer education will be funded at $500,000 and overseen by the Public Regulation Commission. Low-income energy assistance will be funded at $500,000 and provision of electricity to remote communities not connected to the grid will be funded at up to $4,000,000. These funds will be used to develop electric service through the initiation and implementation of new projects, including those using renewable energy, to provide or extend electric service in low-income communities.