House Bill 93, a bill designed to accelerate the transition to clean energy, reduce electricity congestion, and lower costs for consumers, passes the House and now moves to Senate
SANTA FE, NM—House Bill (HB) 93, also known as the Advanced Grid Technology Act, sponsored by Representative Kristina Ortez, passed the House Floor today. The bill now moves to the Senate. The bill lays a foundation for a stronger, more resilient, and more efficient electric grid.
Advanced grid technologies enhance the efficiency of existing electrical lines, providing an affordable solution for reducing transmission congestion and minimizing consumer electricity costs. HB 93 will require utilities to analyze opportunities for these technologies in their transmission planning processes and provide clear guidelines for the Public Regulation Commission (PRC) to approve these investments.
"House Bill 93 represents a critical step forward in ensuring New Mexico's energy grid is prepared for the future," said Representative Kristina Ortez. "By integrating advanced grid technologies into our planning process, we are not only improving grid efficiency and reliability but also ensuring that New Mexicans have access to affordable and resilient energy. This legislation is a win for consumers, a win for our clean energy future, and a win for economic growth in our state. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Senate to get this bill across the finish line."
National business association Advanced Energy United alongside clean energy industry and environmental representatives issued the following statements in support:
“Our current transmission grid is strained with electricity bottlenecks that drive up costs for consumers and put our energy system at risk,” said Michael Barrio, New Mexico lead at Advanced Energy United. “Updating our grid with advanced grid technologies will help connect New Mexico’s abundant clean energy resources to the grid more efficiently, which will keep power affordable and reliable for all New Mexicans. This progress brings us one step closer to unlocking New Mexico’s full energy potential, creating more jobs, and creating a stronger, more resilient grid.”
"A robust and modern transmission grid is essential to New Mexico's economic future and energy reliability," said Rikki Seguin, Executive Director of the Interwest Energy Alliance. "The current grid's limitations hinder the integration of cost-effective renewable energy, impacting both businesses and consumers. Our member companies advocate for strategic investments in advanced technologies to ensure a reliable and affordable clean energy future."
“New Mexico needs to harness its full energy potential. Advanced grid technologies allow more clean energy from renewable resources to travel at greater speed through the power lines we already have,” said AnnaLinden Weller, Senior Policy Advisor for Clean Energy at Western Resource Advocates. “They are key to unlocking greater energy efficiency, reliability, affordability, and security for the benefit of all New Mexicans, and will help our state move closer to the goal of zero-carbon energy.”