To: Ken Sanchez, Honorable City Councilor, Isaac Benton, Honorable City Councilor, Klarissa Peña, Honorable City Councilor, Brad Winter, Honorable City Councilor, Dan Lewis, Honorable City Councilor, Rey Garduño, Honorable City Councilor, Di...
I support Council Bill R-14-59. Please vote to defend rate-payers by urging the New Mexico Public...
Thank you for your concern for the rate-payers of Albuquerque, the environment, and our public health in matters concerning the replacement power plan for PNM's San Juan Coal Units 2 and 3 retirement.
As a resident in Albuquerque I am pleased to learn that PNM will close two of its units at the San Juan coal plant. The issue of replacement power for the San Juan coal plant will have enormous consequences for at least the next 20 years.
It represents a huge opportunity for New Mexico to redirect our energy investments to cost-competitive, job-creating, environmentally responsible renewable energy sources.
Yet PNM’s replacement power for its share of the closure is as follows:
• Purchase 132 megawatts more of coal from San Juan unit 4 from California owners seeking to exit San Juan.
• Import nuclear from the Palo Verde Nuclear Plant in Arizona (134 megawatts)
• Build a new natural gas plant (177megawatts) politically sited in Farmington.
• 40 megawatts of solar.
We can do better! Renewable energy can be a huge economic driver for the state which should lead the country in the transition to a green economy. Wind and solar are now cheaper than coal or nuclear, reduces carbon emissions that increase the risk of fires and drought, saves billions of gallons of clean water; protects us against the financial risks of further investment in coal and continuously rising electric rates.
I support your resolution that urges the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission to modify PNM's energy proposal and calls for an alternative plan based on energy efficiency and renewables.
I support your position to reduce or deny PNM's request for a $250 million bailout. Despite that the 2 coal units will be closed and producing nothing PNM still wants its unearned profits from all of us; they call this "stranded assets." It doesn't seem fair that PNM made $100 million in profits in 2012, disconnected the electricity for 17,000 New Mexicans, and, yet they want us to pay for their poor financial and resource planning.
I agree that PNM should reduce the carbon-dioxide emissions associated with its utility service in amounts consistent with what the vast majority of climate scientists conclude is necessary to avoid the most severe impacts of climate change. And consider in their analyses the total environmental, health and societal costs of coal produced energy.
Thank you for your leadership on behalf of Albuquerque’s rate-payers.
As a resident in Albuquerque I am pleased to learn that PNM will close two of its units at the San Juan coal plant. The issue of replacement power for the San Juan coal plant will have enormous consequences for at least the next 20 years.
It represents a huge opportunity for New Mexico to redirect our energy investments to cost-competitive, job-creating, environmentally responsible renewable energy sources.
Yet PNM’s replacement power for its share of the closure is as follows:
• Purchase 132 megawatts more of coal from San Juan unit 4 from California owners seeking to exit San Juan.
• Import nuclear from the Palo Verde Nuclear Plant in Arizona (134 megawatts)
• Build a new natural gas plant (177megawatts) politically sited in Farmington.
• 40 megawatts of solar.
We can do better! Renewable energy can be a huge economic driver for the state which should lead the country in the transition to a green economy. Wind and solar are now cheaper than coal or nuclear, reduces carbon emissions that increase the risk of fires and drought, saves billions of gallons of clean water; protects us against the financial risks of further investment in coal and continuously rising electric rates.
I support your resolution that urges the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission to modify PNM's energy proposal and calls for an alternative plan based on energy efficiency and renewables.
I support your position to reduce or deny PNM's request for a $250 million bailout. Despite that the 2 coal units will be closed and producing nothing PNM still wants its unearned profits from all of us; they call this "stranded assets." It doesn't seem fair that PNM made $100 million in profits in 2012, disconnected the electricity for 17,000 New Mexicans, and, yet they want us to pay for their poor financial and resource planning.
I agree that PNM should reduce the carbon-dioxide emissions associated with its utility service in amounts consistent with what the vast majority of climate scientists conclude is necessary to avoid the most severe impacts of climate change. And consider in their analyses the total environmental, health and societal costs of coal produced energy.
Thank you for your leadership on behalf of Albuquerque’s rate-payers.
Why is this important?
Critically important opportunity to shift to renewable energy in New Mexico: PNM is being forced to shut down two coal units at the San Juan Coal Plant. The decision made in this case will lock in energy infrastructure choices for the next 30 years or more. PNM wants to replace that power with the purchase of more coal and more nuclear when renewables are currently less expensive and have huge environmental, economic, and public health benefits. This petition calls upon the Albuquerque City Council and Mayor to use their power to push the Public Regulation Commission to reject PNM's proposal for more coal and nuclear and to replace the energy with renewable sources instead.