Electric Cooperatives In New Mexico: How Many Exist?

how many electric coops in new mexico

New Mexico's electric cooperatives have been around since 1935, when President Franklin Roosevelt established the Rural Electrification Administration. The state has 16 electric distribution cooperatives, 15 of which are members of the New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperatives (NMREC). These cooperatives provide power to New Mexico's rural areas and small communities, with each cooperative having a representative on the association's board of directors. They also strongly support their communities, having provided over $14 million in higher education scholarships to more than 9,600 students over the past 32 years.

Characteristics Values
Number of electric cooperatives in New Mexico 16
Number of cooperatives that are members of the New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperatives 15
Number of cooperatives that receive wholesale power from Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association 9
Number of cooperatives that are members of Western Farmers Electric Cooperative 4
Number of cooperatives with wind projects 13
Number of cooperatives with solar projects 12
Number of cooperatives with biomass/landfill/waste projects and heat recovery projects 12
Number of cooperatives that are associate members of the New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperatives 3
Investment in reliable electric service Over $1.2 billion
Amount provided in higher education scholarships Over $14 million
Number of students who have received scholarships More than 9,600

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There are 16 electric cooperatives in New Mexico

Nine of the 14 member distribution cooperatives receive wholesale power from the Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, headquartered in Westminster, Colorado. Four are members of the Western Farmers Electric Cooperative, based in Anadarko, Oklahoma. One distribution cooperative receives power from an independent wholesale power supplier.

In addition, there are three electric distribution cooperatives that are associate members of the New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperatives: Duncan Valley Electric in Duncan, Arizona; Navopache Electric in Lakeside, Arizona; and Rio Grande Electric in Brackettville, Texas.

The cooperatives strongly support their communities and collectively operate one of the largest non-governmental scholarship programs in New Mexico. They have provided over $14 million in higher education scholarships to more than 9,600 New Mexico students over the past 32 years. They also sponsor youth programs and provide safety training in local schools.

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15 cooperatives are members of the New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperatives

New Mexico has 16 electric distribution cooperatives, 15 of which are members of the New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperatives (NMREC). These cooperatives provide legislative and educational services to their members, who deliver electric power to New Mexico's rural areas and small communities. Each cooperative has a representative on the association's board of directors, which controls the editorial content and advertising policy of the cooperative's magazine, 'enchantment', through its Publications Committee.

The cooperatives strongly support their communities and have collectively operated one of the largest non-governmental scholarship programs in New Mexico. They have provided over $14 million in higher education scholarships to more than 9,600 New Mexico students over the past 32 years. They also sponsor youth programs such as the Government-in-Action Youth Tour and provide safety training in local schools.

Nine of the 14 member distribution cooperatives receive wholesale power from the Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, headquartered in Westminster, Colorado. Four are members of the Western Farmers Electric Cooperative, headquartered in Anadarko, Oklahoma, and one distribution cooperative receives power from an independent wholesale power supplier.

In addition to the 14 member cooperatives, there are three electric distribution cooperatives that are associate members of the New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperatives: Duncan Valley Electric in Duncan, Arizona; Navopache Electric in Lakeside, Arizona; and Rio Grande Electric in Brackettville, Texas. The New Mexico electric distribution cooperatives have invested over $1.2 billion to provide reliable electric service to their members.

New Mexico's electric cooperatives have a strong commitment to renewable energy projects. About half of the rural electric cooperatives in the state have some type of renewable energy project. Hydro is the most popular, with 16 New Mexico cooperatives involved in hydro projects. The state also has 13 cooperatives with wind projects, 12 with solar projects, and several with biomass/landfill/waste projects and heat recovery projects.

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Nine cooperatives receive power from Tri-State Generation

New Mexico is home to 16 electric distribution cooperatives, 15 of which are members of the New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperatives. Nine cooperatives receive power from Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, a not-for-profit cooperative power supplier. Tri-State Generation is headquartered in Westminster, Colorado, and supplies wholesale electricity to cooperatives in Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, and Nebraska.

The nine cooperatives that receive power from Tri-State Generation are:

  • Central New Mexico Electric Cooperative
  • Columbus Electric Cooperative
  • Continental Divide Electric Cooperative
  • Jemez Mountains Electric Cooperative
  • Mora-San Miguel Electric Cooperative
  • Northern Rio Arriba Electric Cooperative
  • Otero County Electric Cooperative
  • Sierra Electric Cooperative
  • Socorro Electric Cooperative

In addition to these nine cooperatives, there are three electric distribution cooperatives that are associate members of the New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperatives: Duncan Valley Electric in Arizona, Navopache Electric in Arizona, and Rio Grande Electric in Texas.

In recent years, several of the Tri-State Generation cooperatives have sought to leave the association due to concerns about its generation products and services, limits on local energy projects, and increasing rates. However, exit fee estimates for breaking up with Tri-State Generation have been in the hundreds of millions to billions of dollars, creating a significant barrier for cooperatives seeking to leave.

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Four cooperatives are members of Western Farmers Electric Cooperative

There are 16 electric distribution cooperatives in New Mexico, 15 of which are members of the New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperatives (NMREC). Four cooperatives are members of Western Farmers Electric Cooperative, headquartered in Anadarko, Oklahoma. These cooperatives include:

  • Alfalfa Electric Cooperative, Inc: Serving Alfalfa, Grant, Garfield, Major, Woods in Oklahoma, and Barber & Harper in Kansas.
  • Canadian Valley Electric Cooperative, Inc: Serving Pottawatomie, Lincoln, Hughes, Oklahoma, Okfuskee, Seminole, and McIntosh counties in Oklahoma.
  • Farmers Electric Cooperative, Inc: Serving multiple counties in New Mexico and Texas.
  • Harmon Electric Association, Inc: Serving Beckham, Harmon, Greer, Jackson, and Kiowa counties in Oklahoma, as well as Hardeman and Childress counties in Texas.

These cooperatives are dedicated to providing reliable electric service to their members and communities. They actively work to protect cooperative interests and have collectively invested over $1.2 billion in New Mexico to ensure stable power distribution.

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Cooperatives provide scholarships and youth programs

New Mexico is home to 16 electric distribution cooperatives, 15 of which are members of the New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperatives (NMREC). These cooperatives strongly support their communities and are committed to investing in the future of their youth.

One of the ways they do this is by providing scholarships to students who are continuing their education. For example, the Central New Mexico Electric Cooperative Inc. offers scholarships to high school seniors who plan to pursue further education. The amount and number of scholarships awarded each year depend on the funds available in their Education Foundation Fund. Over the years, the electric cooperatives in New Mexico have collectively provided over $14 million in higher education scholarships to more than 9,600 students. This figure rose to over $15 million and 10,000 students over 33 years, according to another source.

In addition to scholarships, the electric cooperatives in New Mexico also sponsor youth programs such as the Government-in-Action Youth Tour. This program provides young people with an opportunity to learn about government and politics, and to develop leadership skills. The cooperatives also promote electrical safety in schools, including through an annual Safety Poster Coloring Contest.

Through these initiatives, the electric cooperatives in New Mexico demonstrate their commitment to empowering young people and investing in their community's future. By providing financial support for education and offering educational programs, they are helping to develop the next generation of leaders and contributing to the overall well-being of their communities.

Frequently asked questions

There are 16 electric cooperatives in New Mexico, 15 of which are members of the New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperatives.

Electric cooperatives are utility cooperatives that provide electric services. In the US, 900 cooperatives across 47 states provide electric services to nearly three-quarters of the nation.

Some electric cooperatives in New Mexico include the Central New Mexico Electric Cooperative, Duncan Valley Electric, Navopache Electric, and Rio Grande Electric.

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