The New Mexico Public Regulation Commission (NMPRC) on Wednesday, August 2 – after listening to testimony gathered from public hearings held over the course of several weeks – voted unanimously to amend a Commission Rule that further moves New Mexico toward advanced technology regarding the storing of renewable energy.
In March, the Commission initiated an investigation to establish a rulemaking proceeding to amend the Commission Rule governing Integrated Resource Plans for Electric Utilities (IRP Rule).
The NMPRC adopted the IRP Rule in 2007 in order to implement the 2005 Efficient Use of Energy Act (EUEA). The Commission’s IRP Rule states that investor-owned electric and natural gas utilities must engage in a resource planning process that evaluates all feasible “supply side” and “demand side” resources.
Energy storage was not available as a commercially feasible alternative to supply- and demandside resources at the time the Commission’s IRP Rule was adopted.
A decade later, energy storage is being touted as a use of energy that is generated during lowcost, off-peak periods to serve load demands during peak, expensive, periods. It is also been shown to improve the overall utilization and economics of the electric grid.