Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 18, September 24, 2024
A. At least thirty (30) days prior to filing
a schedule proposing a new rate or rates a coop shall give, by mailing with
billings or independently or by publication in the enchantment (in the case of
coops subscribing thereto), written notice to affected customers. For this
purpose all customers of the coop shall be considered to be affected customers
unless the Commission, upon motion made by the coop, directs
otherwise.
B. The notice shall
include the following information:
(1) the
amount of the increase requested in both dollar amounts and percentage
increase;
(2) the customer
classifications to which the new rate or rates apply;
(3) the present rates and the proposed rates
for each customer class and the number of customers in each customer class to
which those proposed rates would apply and, for residential customers without
demand meters, the present rates, the proposed rates, and the percentage
difference between the present bill and the anticipated bill for each of the
following levels of consumption-0 kwh, 250 kwh, 500 kwh, 750 kwh, 1,000 kwh and
2,000 kwh;
(4) the date on which
the coop intends to file with the Commission the schedule proposing the new
rate or rates;
(5) a statement that
the coop will promptly notify a member of the date on which it actually files
the schedule proposing the new rate or rates if the member so
requests;
(6) a statement that the
new rate or rates will go into effect automatically and without hearing by the
Commission unless one or more members of the coop file a protest with the
Commission no later than twenty (20) days after the coop has filed the schedule
proposing the new rate or rates and the Commission determines there is just
cause for reviewing the proposed rate or rates on one or more of the grounds of
the protest AND A STATEMENT IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS THAT IF A HEARING IS HELD BY
THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION [PUBLIC REGULATION COMMISSION] ANY COSTS INCURRED
BY THE UTILITY MAY BE INCLUDED IN THE UTILITY'S FUTURE RATES, FOLLOWING THE
UTILITY'S NEXT RATE CASE;
(7) a
statement that the procedures for protesting a proposed rate or rates are set
forth in NMPSC Rule 540 [17.9.540 NMAC], a copy of which can be obtained upon
request from or inspected at either the main office of the coop or the offices
of the Commission in Santa Fe, that forms for protests are available from
either the coop or the Commission, and indicating the telephone numbers and
addresses of both the coop and the Commission;
(8) a statement that before filing a protest
a coop member should attempt to resolve any grievance within the coop by
presenting his objections to the coop in writing and allowing the coop at least
seven (7) days in which to attempt a resolution or otherwise respond;
(9) a statement that any interested person
may examine the rate filings together with any exhibits and related papers that
may be filed at any time at the main office of the coop or on or after the date
of filing at the offices of the Commission in Santa Fe; and
(10) a statement that further information may
be obtained by contacting the coop or the Commission.
C. The coop shall submit a copy of the form
of notice to the Commission for approval at least fifteen (15) days prior to
giving notice to customers. If the Commission does not disapprove the form of
notice within five (5) working days of submission of the notice the form will
be deemed approved.
D. Failure to
comply with this section shall be deemed grounds for rejection of the filing
proposing a new rate or rates.
