22-00154-UT

Key scheduled and past events in this proceeding include:

- April 4, 2025: The New Mexico Public Regulation Commission issued an order scheduling a series of workshops, including Workshop #3 (Vegetation & Grid Hardening Strategies) and Workshop #4 (The Path Forward – Summary and Next Steps). The order specified that agendas and details for each workshop would be finalized and posted prior to each date, and that presenters would file their presentation materials in the docket within three days after each workshop 1.

- The original date for Workshop #3 was set as July 17, 2025, but was later rescheduled due to a conflict.

- August 6, 2025: The Commission amended the schedule, setting Workshop #3 (Vegetation & Grid Hardening Strategies) for September 3, 2025. The agenda and details are to be finalized and posted before the workshop. Presenters are to file their materials within three days after the workshop 2, 2.

- September 15, 2025: Workshop #4 (The Path Forward – Summary and Next Steps) is scheduled to be held 1.

- October 23, 2025: This date is listed as the effective date for an order in the proceeding 1.

Additional motions or procedural submissions include requests to update service lists, such as one filed by El Paso Electric Company on March 31, 2025 3.

Docket No. 22-00154-UT concerns an ongoing inquiry by the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission (NMPRC) into the adequacy of electric public utilities’ vegetation management plans and wildfire protection practices. The inquiry was initiated in response to the increasing risk of wildfires in New Mexico, particularly those linked to utility equipment, exacerbated by severe drought, high winds, and climate change. The Commission is seeking to review and improve the assumptions, methods, and standards underpinning utilities’ wildfire mitigation plans to protect public safety and grid reliability 1, 1.

Key actions and developments in this docket include:

- Utilities were required to submit their current vegetation management plans and wildfire mitigation practices for Commission review 1.
- The Commission established a series of workshops to address wildfire mitigation issues, including best practices for vegetation management, grid hardening, and operational preparedness. These workshops are intended to facilitate coordination among stakeholders, assess emerging risks, and gather input on rulemaking or directives 2, 2.
- Utilities such as Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM), Southwestern Public Service Company (SPS), and El Paso Electric have filed and presented updated wildfire mitigation plans, public safety power shutoff (PSPS) protocols, and infrastructure hardening strategies 3, 4, 5, 6.
- The docket is characterized by ongoing engagement with federal and state agencies, first responders, industry groups, and the public to refine utilities’ wildfire risk reduction efforts and communication strategies 6.

Overall, the docket is a comprehensive review and stakeholder engagement process to ensure New Mexico’s electric utilities implement effective wildfire prevention, mitigation, and response strategies in light of worsening fire risk.

The docket identifies several areas of growth (“advancements” or “enhancements”) in wildfire mitigation and utility vegetation management in New Mexico, particularly as implemented by PNM and other utilities. The key areas of growth and their related considerations include:

1. Enhanced Situational Awareness (SA)
- Utilities are improving their ability to detect and monitor wildfire risks using high-resolution imagery, LiDAR, and satellite data. This enhances real-time understanding of fire weather conditions and operational threats, supporting more effective risk reduction strategies 1, 1.

2. Prioritization of Vegetation Management Work
- Vegetation management (VM) is prioritized based on risk assessments, especially in High Fire Risk Areas (HFRAs). The VM program now includes enhanced organizational structures (e.g., dedicated wildfire risk and VM positions), species-specific clearance standards, and a focus on three years of clearance through industry-standard techniques 1, 1.

3. Strategic System Hardening
- Utilities are implementing transmission and distribution hardening measures, such as:
- Use of fire-resistant materials and coatings on infrastructure.
- Siting new facilities to avoid high-risk areas.
- Increasing clearance distances based on local vegetation and fire history 2, 1.

4. Collaboration and Community Engagement
- Ongoing and increased engagement with state, local, tribal governments, first responders, and the public is emphasized to improve wildfire communication, planning, and response 1, 1.

5. Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) Planning
- The PSPS framework has been refined as a proactive tool to de-energize power lines during extreme fire weather, with special attention to minimizing outage size, providing early notifications, and supporting community preparedness 1, 3.

6. Data-Driven Risk Assessment
- Use of AI and GIS for identifying and updating HFRAs, integrating fire weather data, and mapping infrastructure exposure to wildfire risk for targeted mitigation 1, 2.

Key considerations related to these growth areas include:
- Compliance with national standards (NESC, NERC FAC-003, ANSI A300).
- Targeted vegetation management in HFRAs, with annual or as-needed patrols based on line voltage and risk.
- Integration of community input and stakeholder feedback into planning.
- Ensuring safety while maintaining service reliability.
- The necessity of ongoing review and adaptation of plans as climate and wildfire risks evolve 4, 1, 1.

The stakeholders in the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission docket concerning electric public utilities’ vegetation management and wildfire mitigation plans include:

- Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM)
- Southwestern Public Service Company (SPS)
- Western Resource Advocates (WRA)
- Coalition for Clean Affordable Energy (CCAE)
- County of Bernalillo
- NMPRC staff
- Mora/San Miguel Electric Cooperative
- City of Albuquerque
- New Mexico Department of Justice
- Kit Carson Electric Cooperative, Inc.
- Lea County Electric Cooperative, Inc.
- El Paso Electric Company (EPE)
- Springer Electric Cooperative
- Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc. 1

Regarding positions on the proposal to establish a series of workshops addressing wildfire mitigation:
- Support: NMPRC staff, Mora/San Miguel Electric Cooperative
- Do not oppose: City of Albuquerque, New Mexico Department of Justice, Kit Carson Electric Cooperative, Lea County Electric Cooperative, El Paso Electric Company
- Take no position: Springer Electric Cooperative, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc.
- No other party provided a position by the time of filing 1.

No stakeholders are explicitly recorded as being against the proposal to establish the workshop series.

The provided excerpts identify several financial and timeline risks and concerns in the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission’s docket on electric public utilities’ vegetation management and wildfire mitigation:

Financial Risks and Concerns:
- Utilities are assessing budgetary requirements for ongoing and cyclic inspections, which are anticipated to be initiated for lines in high fire risk areas (HFRAs). The inspection program is expected to evolve and require integration of more types of inspections over the next couple of years, indicating ongoing and potentially increasing financial commitments 1.
- Infrastructure upgrades and asset management efforts, such as widening rights-of-way, groundline testing, treatment of wood poles, and aerial inspections, represent significant financial investments. These upgrades are prioritized using wildfire risk assessments, but their scope and cost may rise as more risks are identified or as best practices evolve 2, 2.
- There is mention of federal funding (e.g., $22 million from the DOE for SPS) for grid resiliency and monitoring technology, but such grants may not cover all future or unforeseen expenses, indicating ongoing financial exposure for utilities 3, 3.

Timeline Risks and Concerns:
- The schedule for critical workshops on vegetation and grid hardening strategies was amended due to scheduling conflicts requiring utility participation, suggesting that coordination challenges can delay important planning and implementation activities 4, 4.
- Inspection and corrective maintenance are divided into high-priority (immediate, within 24 hours) and lower-priority (scheduled or monitored) responses. Delays in addressing lower-priority findings may allow some risks to persist longer than desired, depending on the severity and scheduling of maintenance 1.
- The ongoing evolution of inspection programs and the integration of new types of inspections over the coming years implies that some risk mitigation activities are not immediate but are phased in, creating potential gaps in coverage and risk exposure during the transition period 1.

In summary, the main financial concerns relate to the cost and evolving nature of inspection, maintenance, and infrastructure upgrades, while timeline risks focus on scheduling conflicts, phased implementation, and potential delays in addressing identified risks.