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News Release: 11/5/2026 KCEC
November 05, 2026
Kit Carson Electric Cooperative Ranks Among New Mexico's Most Affordable While Maintaining Base Rates Since 2016 and Leading in Renewable Energy
With the Second-Lowest Residential Service Charge, Second-Largest Customer Base, and No Base Rate Increase Since 2016, KCEC Demonstrates That Renewable Energy Leadership, Innovation, and Affordability Can Go Hand in Hand.
TAOS, NEW MEXICO - November 05, 2026 - As the cost of nearly everything continues to rise, Kit Carson Electric Cooperative (KCEC) is showing that affordable electricity, renewable energy innovation, and investments in reliable infrastructure can go hand in hand. Despite a decade of increasing operating expenses, KCEC has maintained its base electric rates without an increase since 2016, while transforming how electricity is generated and delivered throughout northern New Mexico.
According to a statewide residential electric rate comparison reviewed October 23, 2026, KCEC maintains the second-lowest monthly residential service charge among 19 New Mexico electric cooperative service territories at just $20.50, while serving 30,807 member accounts, the second-largest member base included in the comparison.
KCEC consistently ranks among New Mexico's six lowest electric cooperatives across all three residential electricity consumption levels:
500 kilowatt-hours (kWh): $77.25 monthly, third-lowest.
1,000 kWh: $136.69 monthly, sixth-lowest.
1,500 kWh: $201.55 monthly, sixth-lowest.
These results are especially significant considering KCEC's extensive rural and mountainous service territory, rising infrastructure costs, and continued investments in local renewable energy, wildfire mitigation, and electric reliability.
What makes KCEC's achievement remarkable is not only that the cooperative has maintained stable base rates for nearly a decade, but that it has continued advancing into the future without increasing those rates.
Since 2016, KCEC has achieved 100% daytime solar, expanded its local renewable energy portfolio to approximately 51 megawatts of solar generation and 25 megawatts of battery storage, modernized its electric infrastructure, and advanced major projects to improve reliability and protect communities from wildfires and extreme weather.
These accomplishments have taken place while the costs of transformers, utility poles, electrical equipment, construction materials, labor, transportation, fuel, and system maintenance have continued to rise. Through responsible financial management, strategic partnerships, and long-term planning, KCEC has remained focused on protecting affordability while strengthening the electric system for future generations.
"Our members are facing rising costs in almost every part of their lives, and we understand how important affordable electricity is to their families and businesses," said Luis A. Reyes Jr., Chief Executive Officer of Kit Carson Electric Cooperative. "While the cost of operating an electric utility continues to increase, we have maintained our base rates since 2016, achieved 100% daytime solar, expanded local power generation, and made significant investments in reliability and wildfire protection. We have not stood still to keep rates affordable. We have continued moving forward, building a stronger energy future for the communities we serve."
A significant part of KCEC's progress stems from its decision to transition away from its previous wholesale energy provider and establish a forward-thinking wholesale energy partnership with Guzman Energy, KCEC's current wholesale energy provider.
Through its partnership with Guzman Energy, KCEC has gained greater flexibility to diversify its energy resources, expand local renewable energy generation, and pursue innovative energy solutions specifically designed to meet the needs of northern New Mexico. This strategic partnership has played an important role in KCEC's ability to achieve 100% daytime solar, maintain affordable electricity rates, and invest in a more reliable, resilient, and sustainable energy future for its members.
KCEC reports that its current residential rates are lower than those associated with its previous wholesale energy arrangement and remain competitive with other electric cooperatives throughout New Mexico. The continued collaboration between KCEC and Guzman Energy demonstrates how strategic wholesale energy partnerships can support affordability, renewable energy development, and long-term energy independence while delivering meaningful benefits to cooperative members.
While statewide comparisons provide important information, electric cooperatives operate under different geographic, economic, and electricity consumption conditions. Central Valley Electric Cooperative and Lea County Electric Cooperative serve southeastern New Mexico, where oil and natural gas production contribute to substantial industrial and commercial electricity demand. Higher electricity sales and different usage patterns can influence how infrastructure and operating costs are distributed.
Similarly, Navopache Electric Cooperative and Farmers' Electric Cooperative operate across state boundaries, with significant portions of their overall membership and service territories outside New Mexico. These differences provide important context when evaluating statewide rankings.
KCEC, by comparison, serves thousands of members across rural villages, Pueblo communities, mountain towns, and remote areas throughout Taos, Colfax, and Rio Arriba counties. Maintaining thousands of miles of electric infrastructure across this challenging terrain requires continuous investment in substations, power lines, vegetation management, wildfire prevention, and equipment capable of withstanding northern New Mexico's changing weather conditions.
Despite these responsibilities, KCEC continues to maintain one of the lowest residential service charges in New Mexico while serving one of the largest electric cooperative customer bases in the state.
Beyond affordability, KCEC continues investing in wildfire mitigation, advanced monitoring technologies, battery energy storage, and grid modernization to strengthen electric reliability and community resilience. These investments are especially important for seniors, families on fixed incomes, medically vulnerable residents who depend on electrically powered medical equipment, and rural communities where reliable electricity is essential to everyday life.
As a member-owned, not-for-profit cooperative, KCEC's responsibility is to the people and communities it serves. Every investment is guided by a commitment to long-term financial sustainability, responsible management, and enhancing the quality of life for its members.
"Our responsibility goes beyond delivering electricity. It is about protecting our families, our elders, our medically vulnerable residents, and the communities that have called northern New Mexico home for generations," Reyes added. "We are proving that affordable electricity, renewable energy, and reliable service can work together. Our members deserve all three, and our responsibility is to ensure that the decisions we make today continue benefiting their children and grandchildren."
KCEC's accomplishments demonstrate that progress does not have to come at the expense of affordability. By maintaining base rates since 2016, achieving 100% daytime solar, expanding local energy generation, and strengthening its electric infrastructure, Kit Carson Electric Cooperative continues to show how a locally governed, member-owned utility can lead in affordability, innovation, and community resilience.
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About Kit Carson Electric Cooperative
Formed in 1944, Kit Carson is a member-owned electric distribution cooperative in northern New Mexico and is the second largest cooperative in the state. Kit Carson is one of 16 electric cooperatives that serve rural New Mexico communities, serving nearly 30,000 members in Taos, Colfax and Rio Arriba counties. To learn more about Kit Carson, visit www.kitcarson.com.
Michael Santisitevan
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to KCECpublicrelations+unsubscribe@kitcarson.com. Kit Carson Electric Cooperative, Inc.
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Michael Santistevan PR/Marketing
- November 05, 2026
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