Members of the New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperative Association

New Mexico’s 18 rural electric distribution cooperatives and generation and transmission cooperatives provide electric power to 80 percent of the land area and to 22 percent of New Mexicans. These New Mexican families and businesses own their electric cooperatives. They control the co-op’s bylaws, vote on any significant changes in operations and elect trustees to direct co-op activities. Their cooperatives provide service to Chama in the north to the oil fields of the Permian Basin in the southeast; to the northeastern grasslands to the Bootheel desert.

There are 16 electric distribution cooperatives in New Mexico, 15 of which are members of the New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperative Association. The members have invested over $1.6 billion to provide reliable electric service to their members. They employ over 800 New Mexicans as linemen, customer service representatives, engineers, warehouse operators, and other positions.

The cooperatives are active in promoting and providing renewable energy resources and energy efficient rebate programs for consumer-members. They also offer a green power program to consumer-members who have the opportunity to purchase renewable energy.

Energy Efficiency Programs

Electric cooperatives provide financial rebates to encourage consumer-members to be more energy efficient. Rebates are provided to eligible consumer-members who purchase energy efficient lighting fixtures; and energy efficient appliances, such as electric water heaters, refrigerators, and geothermal ground source heat pumps. Electric cooperatives also provide financial incentives for new construction, and to consumer-members who retrofit their existing homes or businesses with energy efficient

Renewable Energy

New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperatives are leaders in renewable energy sources. Their Renewable Portfolio will expand to 40 percent by 2025 and 50 percent by 2030 in a reliable and affordable manner.

The Seven Cooperative Principles items, such as lighting projects, geothermal ground source heat pumps, and heating and cooling systems.

Cooperatives around the world operate according to the same set of core principles and values, adopted by the International Cooperative Alliance. Cooperatives trace the roots of these principles to the first modern cooperative founded in Rochdale, England in 1844. These principles are a key reason America’s electric cooperatives operate differently from other electric utilities, putting the needs of their members first.

1. Voluntary and Open Membership: Co-op membership is open to anyone able to use its services.

2. Democratic Member Control: Co-ops elect their leaders, who collectively make decisions.

The cooperatives strongly support their communities. They collectively operate one of the largest non-governmental scholarship programs in New Mexico. For example, the electric co-ops have provided over $15 million in higher educational scholarships to more than 10,167 New Mexico students over the past 33 years. They sponsor youth programs such as the Government-inAction Youth Tour and provide safety training in local schools.

Eleven of the 15 member distribution cooperatives receive wholesale power from Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association headquartered in Westminster, Colorado. Four are members of Western Farmers Electric Cooperative headquartered in Anadarko, Oklahoma.

There are also three distribution cooperatives that are associate members of the New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperative Association. They are Duncan Valley Electric, Duncan, Arizona; Navopache Electric, Lakeside, Arizona; and Rio Grande Electric, Brackettville, Texas.

New Mexico’s rural electric cooperatives, who are members of the New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperative Association, protect the interests of their consumer-members through their statewide association headquartered in Santa Fe.

• The cooperatives offer free energy audits to consumermembers to identify ways to make their homes or businesses more energy efficient.

Electric cooperatives also offer a green power program to consumer-members who have the opportunity to purchase renewable energy.

enchantment Magazine

enchantment Magazine is the voice of New Mexico’s rural electric cooperatives. Since 1960, our readers, primarily member-owners of their local electric cooperative, have grown up with enchantment Magazine. Over 112,000 New Mexicans receive enchantment monthly directly to their doors. Visit www.enchantment.coop to view articles in the enchantment Magazine.

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3. Members’ Economic Participation: Members contribute financially to their cooperative.

4. Autonomy and Independence: Cooperatives are autonomous, and any agreements must maintain their independence.

5. Education, Training, and Information: Cooperatives educate and train their members and employees.

6. Cooperation Among Cooperatives: Cooperatives work together to benefit all co-op members.

7. Concern for Community: Cooperatives are committed to improving the communities they call home.

New Mexico Youth Tour Participants

New Mexico’s Rural Electric Cooperatives sponsor students to attend the Government-in-Action Youth Tour in Washington, D.C.–, each June to learn about the importance of rural electric cooperatives and about the federal government. Due to the pandemic, NM electric cooperatives have not participated since 2019.

For More Information

Visit www.nmelectric.coop for more details about the New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperative Association and about its member electric cooperatives.