SANTA TERESA, N.M. – (KFOX14\/CBS4) \u2014 El Paso Electric is holding its final community meeting today on a proposal that could raise monthly electric bills for customers in the parts of New Mexico it serves.<\/p>\n
The meeting is scheduled for 4:30 to 6:00 tonight at the Sunland Park Sports Complex. <\/p>\n
If approved, customers in New Mexico would ultimately be paying close to $27 more on their monthly bills.<\/p>\n
RELATED: El Paso Electric seeks to increase rates in New Mexico; about $1 a day hike<\/a><\/p>\n Jennifer Borden, El Paso Electric\u2019s strategic rate case director, said the proposal would be implemented in two phases about 10 months apart.<\/p>\n \u201cAn average residential bill would be an increase of 49 cents per day. The second phase will be 88 cents per day. So and the two phases will be about 10 months apart,\u201d Borden said. <\/p>\n She added, \u201cWe have a lot of growth in the area. So that’s what we’re supporting and we’re making sure that we keep the system reliable keep it safe for our customers.\u201d<\/p>\n El Paso Electric said the rate case is intended to recover more than $400 million in infrastructure investment.<\/p>\n Any increase would need approval from the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission.<\/p>\n The utility said the approval process can take up to a year and, if approved, would go into effect shortly after. <\/p>\n The company said the increase would be phased into two separate increases.<\/p>\n The community meetings include El Paso Electric staff discussing the proposal and answering questions one-on-one. <\/p>\n But one attendee at last night\u2019s meeting said the process feels rushed and could significantly affect customers.<\/p>\n \u201cThey announced it pretty quickly and they’re holding it on a weekday at what is it 4 p.m. I’m a nurse man so I work weird hours but everyone else is at work,\u201d said Trent Christopher, a Las Cruces resident. <\/p>\n He also questioned the affordability of the proposed increase, saying, \u201cWho has 30, 40 extra bucks laying around, man? Nobody right now.\u201d<\/p>\n More discussion is expected in the coming months.<\/p>\n RECOMMENDED: El Paso Electric to present plans for McCloud natural gas plant in Northeast El Paso<\/a><\/p>\n