Powered By Legacy

The New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperatives celebrated a significant milestone as it marked its 80th anniversary during the NMREC Annual Meeting in late May. The theme this year was “Powered by Legacy” to honor our historical achievements and focus on our future as a statewide association representing 15 electric distribution cooperative members, two generation and transmission co-ops, and three associate members in neighboring states. Together, we serve more than 434,000 individuals, families and businesses in New Mexico.

The general session was highlighted by distinguished personalities and legislative guests, including Rep. Javier Martinez, who serves as New Mexico’s Speaker of the House; Sen. Pat Woods; Rep. Meredith Dixon; Rep. Gail Armstrong; and Chair of the Public Regulatory Commission Pat O’Connell.

The legislative guests engaged our member electric cooperatives, board directors, general managers and senior staff discussing the policies and major challenges impacting reliability in New Mexico. Some of those challenges are related to the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed power plant rule, USDA funding and supply chain issues.

The utility industry is facing supply chain issues for transformers, utility poles, electric transmission and distribution wire, and more. Having supplies and equipment on hand is crucial for electric cooperatives because our No. 1 job is to keep the lights on for our members.

We welcomed the legislative guests to our annual meeting to share or discuss the issues they are working on in Santa Fe to positively impact our electric cooperatives and our members. We at New Mexico’s electric cooperatives want to enhance our relationship with our lawmakers, and we want them to have a better understanding of the cooperative business model. We want our New Mexico senators and representatives to think about us as they make their decisions. Building relationships provides us with a valuable opportunity to engage and educate lawmakers about cooperatives and our communities in New Mexico.

The annual meeting was characterized by an array of engaging breakout sessions, each delving into crucial topics vital to the cooperative’s operations and the wider community. These sessions encompassed themes such as cybersecurity; wildfire liability and insurance; broadband expansion; and rural economic development and electrification.

The Cybersecurity session emphasized risks associated with data and physical security, highlighting the importance of aligning security measures with overarching business strategies. Similarly, the Wildfire Liability & Insurance session addressed the pressing need for collaborative solutions to mitigate the escalating risks posed by wildfires, exacerbated by climate change.

Broadband expansion was discussed as a pivotal component of rural development, extending beyond mere internet access to encompass economic growth, education, healthcare, and societal advancement in rural communities. The Hiring & Retention session underscored the significance of identifying, attracting, and retaining top talent aligned with cooperative values and objectives within the state of New Mexico.

The Rural Economic Development and Electrification session highlighted the nature of rural economic growth and electrification, illustrating how electrification acts as a catalyst for various aspects of rural development, from agriculture to smallscale industries and services.

Attendees were provided with comprehensive updates on the latest developments in the business realm, with significant contributions from our key cooperative partners such as Tri-State G&T, Western Farmers Electric Cooperative, CoBank, Cooperative Finance Corporation, Homestead and Rural Utilities Service.

The New Mexico Rural Electric Self- Insurer’s Fund presented the 2024 Long Rope Award to Ryan Guevara, an Otero County Electric Cooperative journeyman lineworker, for his hard work and dedication in keeping safety his top priority.

NMRESIF also bestowed the Carl M. Turner Safety Award to Columbus Electric Cooperative, Farmers’ Electric Cooperative, Lea County Electric Cooperative, Northern Rio Arriba Electric Cooperative, Roosevelt County Electric Cooperative and Southwestern Electric Cooperative.

During the proceedings, NRECA Vice President of Political Programs Kelly Cushman emphasized the importance of cooperative voices in influencing energy policy decisions, while Michael Shepard, CEO of Pioneer Utility Resources, highlighted the role of effective communications channels—such as enchantment—in engaging co-op members and the broader community.

As NMREC looks forward, we remain committed to building upon past successes while embracing future challenges, guided by the premise “Powered by Legacy,” celebrating achievements while charting a course for continued progress.