Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

Business digest - Jan. 6

Legislature holding virtual kickoff

A virtual roundhouse kickoff and a weekly social calendar event will be held virtually during the upcoming New Mexico legislative session, according to a release from the New Mexico Chamber of Commerce.

The free virtual sessions will be online at virtualroundhousenm.com.

The kickoff will be held 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday, with a roundhoues social event 7:30 a.m. every Tuesday from Jan. 19 to March 10.

The roundhouse will feature legislative office hours, interaction with cabinet secretaries and department heads, a business expo and a conference on the tourism and hospitality industry.

Xcel files rate review

Xcel Energy filed a rate review with the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission Monday, with a request for a base rate increase to cover recent infrastructure investments.

A company release indicates the company has invested $1.1 billion in the state since 2019, with work including the Sagamore Wind Project in Roosevelt County.

“Xcel Energy has invested substantially in New Mexico to power the regional economy, both now and well into the future,” Xcel President David Hudson said. “And with investments such as the Sagamore Wind Project that deliver as much savings as they cost to build, we’re able to keep electricity bills under the state and national averages even with incremental price increases.”

The review requests an increase of $87.8 million, but notes Sagamore project savings of $39.9 million to New Mexico customers.

If approved, the rate changes would be about 9.2% per month and would take effect in the fourth quarter of 2021.

Business Digest is compiled by the staff of The News. Contact Editor Kevin Wilson at 575-763-3431, ext. 320, or by email:

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