ALAMOGORDO, N.M. — PNM customers who have received unexpectedly high or late electric bills this summer will get a chance to tell state regulators directly. The New Mexico Public Regulation Commission (NMPRC), which oversees investor-owned utilities including PNM, is holding a community town hall on Tuesday, Sept. 29, from noon to 2 p.m. at the Sgt. Willie Estrada Memorial Civic Center in Alamogordo. The event will also be livestreamed online.

Customers are encouraged to bring copies of their bills and share their experiences. The commission says public input will help it better understand local impacts and ensure appropriate corrective actions are implemented.

How the problem started

The billing trouble traces back to a shortage of PNM meter readers. The issue began in Alamogordo in July before spreading statewide in August. With fewer workers available to read meters, PNM issued more estimated bills, and some customers received their bills late. Some of those estimated bills reached as high as $1,000, prompting customer complaints and questions from the New Mexico Department of Justice.

The PRC’s Consumer Relations Division and Public Interest Advocacy Staff met with PNM to understand what caused the estimated readings, including staffing and meter-reading challenges, and what steps were being taken to fix them. PNM initially told the state that customers should expect estimated bills through October. 

What an estimated bill means

PNM calculates estimated readings using an account’s usage from the previous month and the same month a year earlier. If the estimate is too high or too low, it is corrected on a later “true-up” bill once an actual reading is taken. Under NMPRC rules, PNM may estimate residential readings for no more than two consecutive months. Customers can check whether their bill was estimated by looking at the “Meter read type” on page two of the bill.

For some households, delayed bills meant paying for two months at once. PNM apologized to customers by email, said it was bringing in meter readers from other parts of the state, and noted payment plans may be available to those billed for two months in one cycle.

PNM says it has caught up

PNM spokesperson Eric Chavez said the utility has essentially caught up on missed readings and does not expect further estimates or missed reads, though the company could not say how many new meter readers it has hired. PNM also said it did not lay off Alamogordo meter readers and is looking for new roles for them as it transitions to smart meters. 

Other ways to get help

Customers who need help can contact the NMPRC’s Consumer Relations Division, which can connect them with PNM through an informal complaint process. A formal complaint option is available if issues can’t be resolved informally. Filings in the matter can be reviewed on the PRCe360 portal under case number 26‑0000147. Customers can also reach PNM directly at 888-DIAL-PNM. 

If you go:

Tuesday, Sept. 29, noon–2 p.m.

Sgt. Willie Estrada Memorial Civic Center, Alamogordo

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