DONA ANA COUNTY, N.M. – (KFOX14\/CBS4) \u2014 Some El Paso Electric customers in New Mexico are speaking out against a proposed rate increase that could raise the average monthly household bill by more than $40 by late next year.<\/p>\n
The New Mexico Public Regulation Commission, which will decide whether to approve the proposal, held a public comment hearing earlier this week in Las Cruces. <\/p>\n
During the meeting, customers and community members questioned the size of the request and whether the utility is doing enough to serve customers in southern New Mexico.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a border town. It is a college town. It is a retiree town. It’s a military town. We’re not rich like Santa Fe, and the rates just keep going up and up and up,\u201d said Kathy Lucero, a Las Cruces resident.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe ratepayers and energy consumers should not be asked to subsidize these excessive profits,\u201d said Lynn Moore, a Dona Ana County resident.<\/p>\n
El Paso Electric is asking for a $70.4 million increase to its base rates for customers in New Mexico. <\/p>\n
RELATED: El Paso Electric seeks $70.4M hike; average NM bills could rise nearly $42 a month<\/a><\/p>\n The utility says the request is needed to recover costs from more than $400 million in New Mexico system investments, including upgrades, reliability improvements and rising costs.<\/p>\n After the hearing, Israel Chavez, a local civil rights attorney, said accessibility is also a concern as the utility asks customers to pay more.<\/p>\n \u201cEl Paso Electric closed its office on Water Street. There is no physical office to go to if you live with a disability, if you don’t have the technology to access your utility bill or to talk to somebody, there is no place to go unless you go to El Paso. And I think it’s wrong for El Paso Electric to cut services and then increase rates,\u201d Chavez said.<\/p>\n In a statement addressing concerns about access, El Paso Electric said, \u201cEl Paso Electric continues to provide reliable service, along with a range of customer support resources to meet diverse needs, including assistance with account access, bill understanding, and payments.\u201d<\/p>\n The utility added, \u201cWe recognize that changes like this can have its challenges, particularly for customers who may face barriers to technology or prefer in-person support. However, we remain committed to ensuring our customers feel supported and have access to the help they need when they need it.\u201d<\/p>\n El Paso Electric said customers can still manage their accounts online, call customer care, or use authorized payment kiosks throughout its service area.<\/p>\n The New Mexico PRC has not made a final decision on the rate request. <\/p>\n If approved, the increase would start taking effect next year in two phases.<\/p>\n FULL PUBLIC COMMENT HEARING<\/p>\n RELATED: Final community meeting on proposed EPE rate hike in New Mexico draws mixed reactions<\/a><\/p>\n