Lawmakers want to study costs, benefits of public power

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — More than a dozen New Mexico lawmakers are petitioning state regulators to study the potential costs and benefits of publicly-owned electrical power for the state.

The petition was made public Tuesday.

The lawmakers want to make their case before the Public Regulation Commission during a meeting next month.

The request comes after the commission recently issued two major rejections involving the state’s largest electric provider.

One involved Public Service Co. of New Mexico proposed exit from a coal-fired power plant and the other was a proposed multibillion-dollar acquisition of the utility by global energy giant Iberdrola.