Tri-State gives county operations update

Tri-State’s Senior Government Relations Advisor Vince Martinez took an opportunity last week to update Socorro County Commissioners on the company’s status of leading member-led cooperative in New Mexico.

Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association is a not-for-profit wholesale power supply cooperative and provides Socorro Electric Co-operative (SEC) with a reliable, affordable, and responsible power supply for its members. Tri-State also provides SEC with staff, equipment, and materials to help ensure a reliable distribution system.

Last week Martinez told the county board Tri-State has 44 members, including 41 electric cooperatives and public power districts. Eleven of the 41 members are based in New Mexico. It also serves, Martinez noted, more than one million consumers across nearly 200,000 square miles out west.

The cooperative’s approach, he said, is to provide responsible, affordable, flexible as well as reliable and resilient energy to its customers – like Socorro Electric Co-operative.

Martinez noted Tri-State offers market-competitive rates. During the past seven years, it has held flat or lowered wholesale rates. A new proposed wholesale rate will include a 6.4 percent increase, which will be a 1.4 percent increase from 2017’s rates. Tri-State also plans to utilize available federal and state funding opportunities. In addition, more than $10 million in annual patronage capital returns have been given to its customers.

In addition, Tri-State says its 2002 regional rates are in line with other co-operatives where it supplies electricity. Martinez noted its rates are very much in line with rates offered by PNM (Public Service Company of New Mexico).

The future is bright for Tri-State, Martinez noted. By 2030, it’s the utility’s desire to have clean energy provided to 70 percent of its members.

In other business, commissioners:

• Honored Sammy Vega Finch as the interim County Manager for her wonderful service and commitment to Socorro County after the resignation of its former county manager.

• Honored Elaine Briggs with an award from the Coalition of Arizona/New Mexico Counties. She was nominated by Emergency Management Director Gail Tripp and County Board Chairman Ray Martinez for outstanding work in the Emergency Management Department.

• Approved a new county request form for Road Maintenance.

• Approved a county resident complaint form that will also be used by the county manager to follow up on problems within the county.