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<\/p>\nLAS CRUCES, N.M. (KFOX14\/CBS4) \u2014 El Paso Electric is looking to increase rates in New Mexico. <\/p>\n
On Friday, officials with EP Electric announced they had filed a general rate case with the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission seeking to recover the $400 million the utility said it has invested in its infrastructure. <\/p>\n
EP Electric’s Vice President of Customer and Regulatory Solutions, James A. Schichtl, said that if approved, the increase would be done in two phases.<\/p>\n
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EP Electric’s Vice President of Customer and Regulatory Solutions, James A. Schichtl. March 27, 2026. Credit: KFOX14\/CBS4<\/p>\n
The first phase will bring an increase of about 50 cents per day, then the second phase will add another 50 cents, bringing the total increase to about $1 per day. <\/p>\n
Regarding when these hikes could kick in, EP Electric said first the commission has to approve it, adding that it is a lengthy process that typically takes about a year, and then there’s also a point that CEO Kelly Tomblin brought up, saying that in her experience, it is rare when a commission approves the rate increase as is. <\/p>\n
“In the history of a utility that– and I’ve worked for 35 years–I’ve never seen a utility get what they’ve asked for,” Tomblin said. “It’s just the way settlement works and other things work… customers usually believe or start thinking that it’s a done deal– that’ll happen tomorrow and we’re going to get everything we asked for… But I’ve never seen it happen.”<\/p>\n
EP Electric also stated that with the increase, it plans to help customers with a “Low-Income Rider” program, which would remove the monthly customer charge for qualifying households, which the company called a first for New Mexico, and new rate structures intended to ensure “large-load” customers such as manufacturing and data centers \u201cpay their fair share,\u201d which the company said would protect families and small businesses from cost shifts.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know that any increase in monthly bills affects our customers, especially during times of economic uncertainty,\u201d Tomblin said. \u201cHowever, we also know that the state of New Mexico has a meaningful vision for economic growth and that our customers expect EPE to maintain reliability and safety. The investments we have made are in line with that vision and those expectations and we plan to work with our customers to take advantage of every program we have to manage any bill increase.\u201d<\/p>\n
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EP Electric’s President and CEO Kelly Tomblin. March 27, 2026. Credit: KFOX14\/CBS4<\/p>\n
Tomblin acknowledged the impact a rate case can have on customers and added that the utility will host community meetings to hear from the community and answer questions customers might have. <\/p>\n
No details were provided regarding the times or locations of those meetings, only that they will be held on April 7 to 9. <\/p>\n
For more information about the rate case and customer assistance programs, visit: https:\/\/www.epelectric.com\/rate-case<\/a>.<\/p>\n Below you can watch the announcement:<\/p>\n El Paso Electric announces filing for rate hike in New Mexico during press conference. March 27, 2026. Credit: KFOX14\/CBS4<\/p>\n RECOMMENDED: US Army announces agreement with private industry for Fort Bliss data center lease<\/a><\/p>\n The filings come on the heels of the announcement of data centers coming to the Borderland. <\/p>\n However, Tomblin said, \u201cWe\u2019re not asking customers to fund future projects… This filing is about recovering the costs of work we\u2019ve already done. Work that\u2019s making our system stronger, safer, and more responsive to the needs of our communities.\u201d<\/p>\n But Tomblin also addressed what she called “misinformation”– echoing similar sentiments we heard Thursday from the Borderplex Alliance during an event where they defended the data center Meta is building in Northeast El Paso after some local leaders have voiced their opposition. <\/p>\n READ MORE: Meta defends El Paso data center citing jobs, clean energy plans<\/a><\/p>\n “If you’re worried about data centers, just know the upside, meaning what they bring is going to be beneficial and we’re going to have the pressure of upward prices throughout our country and energy anyway,” Tomblin said, adding, that the Borderland needs “large load” customers– like data centers– as they would use our power grid more efficiently as we are not using it to its full potential. <\/p>\n “This utility has a significant problem in the fact that what our customers… utilize sometimes 60% [of the system]… So we need large load customers like data centers and other users who use power 12 months a year, 24 hours a day, because that’s not how we use power today to really have an efficient system,” Tomblin said.<\/p>\n Below is a map that shows the areas in New Mexico that EP Electric services:<\/p>\n