ONLY ABOUT 20 PEOPLE SHOWED UP THURSDAY FOR THE PUBLIC COMMENT SESSION ON PNM’S PROPOSED 14-POINT-4 PERCENT RATE HIKE. IT WAS THE ONLY CHANCE FOR THE PUBLIC TO AIR OPINIONS ON THE PNM REQUEST. ON MONDAY, THE PUBLIC REGULATION COMMISSION BEGINS THREE WEEKS OF HEARINGS ON THE PROPOSED RATE INCREASE THAT … IF APPROVED … WOULD START IN AUGUST.
WORD IS MOST OPPONENTS PLAN TO SHOW UP FOR THE PRC’S MONDAY MEETING, POSSIBLY THINKING THEY’LL BE ALLOWED TO COMMENT. CONSUMER AND ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS SAY PNM WANTS TOO MUCH OF AN INCREASE WITH THE BULK OF THE RATE HIKE HITTING BOTH RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS.
