EDITORIAL: PNM has help to keep your A/C on this summer

Jul. 24—In ancient Greece and Rome, the Dog Days of Summer were believed to be a time of drought, bad luck and unrest, "when dogs and men alike would be driven mad by the extreme heat." That description from almanac.com for the months of July and August isn't far off what's happening in parts of the western United States as record heat and fires scorch the land.

Fortunately, we have some advantages the Greeks and Romans lacked, namely air conditioning and powered fans to deal with heat that can cause illness and even death.

But swamp coolers, refrigerated air and fans run on electricity — and more than 47,000 customers of Public Service Company of New Mexico are behind on their PNM bills and could be facing disconnection soon. The state's largest electric utility says that's the last thing it wants to happen and people should know there is a safety net available to help make sure it doesn't.

PNM past-due electric bills total about $21.4 million, with an average past-due balance of $448. Customers continue to be provided power, despite non-payment, under a temporary COVID shutoff moratorium implemented by the state Public Regulation Commission in March 2020.

The PRC voted in February this year to phase out the moratorium, giving customers another six months minimum to pay up or make arrangements. Under the PRC order, shutoffs can resume as early as Aug. 12 for some customers.

There are avenues for help, but people need to do something to help themselves. PNM will work with customers on payment plans and help direct them to other resources that include the Emergency Rental Assistance Program available to New Mexico renters who are experiencing financial hardship due to the pandemic. It's a state program that includes help with utility bills, rent and other housing-related costs. The New Mexico Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, the PNM Good Neighbor Fund and the PNM COVID Customer Relief Fund are additional resources.

"PNM is focused on making sure we help customers receive every single dollar of available financial assistance," said Maddie Martinez-Vega, PNM low-income programs manager.

Shutoffs of as many as 500-600 customers statewide per business day could begin as soon as Aug. 12, said PNM collection manager Eric Morgan. People who have their power cut off for nonpayment not only face heat, but also a reconnect fee of $11 plus tax.

So, if you are in this predicament, or know someone who is, don't wait. You can contact PNM online at PNM.com/help for assistance with your past-due bill or call 855-364-2950 from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Answer a few questions and PNM says it will work to figure out which program or combination of programs could be used to help avoid having the lights (and cooling) turned off during these Dog Days of Summer.

This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.