Alamogordo residents are facing unprecedented power bills this summer, with some receiving charges for two months of service in a single statement. The surge has sparked frustration across the community and raised questions about how utility companies handle billing during peak demand periods.

Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) attributed the billing delays to temporary staffing shortages that forced the company to estimate customer bills beginning in July through early August. The utility stated it communicated the situation to customers, local officials, and the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission before implementing estimated billing on July 21.

Residents Face Financial Strain

For many Alamogordo families, the bills have created an unexpected financial burden. One resident described the dilemma facing working-class households across the community.

“Most of us are just minimum wage working class folks and we’re doing our best to just get by? And so bills like this, how are we supposed to pay them and feed our families”? said a local resident in response to high bills.

Another community member highlighted the particular vulnerability of fixed-income households. “For most of the people in Alamogordo, they lived on fixed incomes . So an $600 bill could really put us over the edge and lead to homelessness we live paycheck to paycheck,” he said.

PNM’s Explanation and Response

PNM said the high bills reflect both the estimation process and record energy consumption driven by extreme heat. The utility explained that when actual meter readings aren’t available, its billing system calculates average daily usage from the most recent prior billing period and the same period from the previous year, then applies it to the current cycle.

“We realize that this summer has been extremely hot, and we have seen an unprecedented level of usage on our system. So much as that we’ve hit record peaks multiple times in the last few weeks,” PNM stated.

The company initially apologized for the delayed billing in an email to residents, stating: “We understand that receiving your bill later than expected can be frustrating, and we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience.” The message also noted that PNM is bringing in additional meter readers from other parts of the state and said payment plans may be available for those billed for two months in one billing cycle.

However, residents say the apology doesn’t address their core concern—the actual amount they’re being charged.

Staffing and System Updates

PNM clarified that it did not terminate any meter readers in the Alamogordo area. The company stated it is committed to “finding new opportunities for our meter reader employees as we transition to smart meters on our system.” According to PNM, the empty positions have since been filled, and meter-reading routes in Alamogordo are now fully staffed, with no further missed or delayed reads expected.

Political Response and Calls for Regulation

The billing crisis has drawn attention from political candidates who view it as symptomatic of broader utility and infrastructure challenges across New Mexico. Grace Nagamine, candidate for district 51 state representative, connected the PNM billing surge to larger concerns about utility regulation and aging infrastructure.

“This summer, PNM’s bills hit record highs. Our families are paying more than ever—and higher fuel prices and inflation are making it even worse. Hardworking people are struggling to choose between paying their power bills and paying rent,” Nagamine said.

Nagamine pointed to parallel infrastructure crises, citing recent water system failures in communities like Timberon, where families faced boil-water advisories throughout July. “Local water systems are failing,” Nagamine stated, arguing that communities lack state support to address these challenges.

Nagamine’s platform calls for strengthening the Public Regulation Commission’s authority to mandate rapid compliance for failing utilities, penalize infrastructure neglect, block rate increases during hardship periods, and provide state technical support to local leaders. “When I’m elected, I will draft legislation that gives our communities the support they need,” Nagamine said.

Resources Available to Affected Customers

PNM indicated that several assistance programs are available to struggling customers, including:

• Budget Billing: Smooths out seasonal usage fluctuations across the year

• Good Neighbor Fund: Provides assistance for customers experiencing financial hardship

• Payment Plans: Extend payment due dates for customers who received multi-month bills

• Energy-Saving Programs: Help reduce monthly electricity usage

The utility encouraged residents to visit PNM.com/help to learn more about available options.

Looking Forward

As Alamogordo residents work to resolve their billing issues, the incident has raised broader questions about utility regulation, infrastructure investment, and the ability of local communities to advocate for affordable, reliable service during extreme weather events. State legislators will likely face renewed pressure to address both utility oversight and infrastructure funding in the coming legislative session.

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