Sen. Jacob Candelaria

Talk about a minority opinion. We have one today that has been swept aside by the powers-that-be. And away we go. . .

ABQ Dem State Senator Jacob Candelaria was thumping his chest and again berating the Public Regulation Commission (PRC) after the NM Supreme Court ruling Wednesday that said the controversial Energy Transition Act (ETA)--approved by the legislature last year--must be applied by the commission as it considers PNM's plans to shut down the coal-fired San Juan Generation Station near Farmington.

But as much as Candelaria and other PNM supporters argue the ETA will in the long run mean lower electric bills for consumers, that is far from assured. Take a look:

Utility executives have said residential customers would end up saving about $7 a month in the first year after the plant closes under its preferred proposal. They have not been able to say what, if any, savings customers would see after that due to uncertainties about the costs of replacing the power with a proposed mix of new natural gas plants, renewable energy and battery storage systems.

Enviros went gaga over the ETA because it also sets high renewable energy standards for the state. Like Candelaria, they exhibited no patience when it came to concerns of ordinary ratepayers while the five member PRC did. The majority of the commissioners argued that San Juan shutdown costs may be too weighted in favor of the utility.

But with enviros carrying "The End is Nigh" signs over climate change, giving away the store to PNM and balancing the bill on the backs of the working classes was of little concern. After all, we're saving the world here.

Candelaria's fervent defense of the utility was so complete and his attacks on those who did not share his views so vociferous (he called for impeachment of PRC commissioners and labeled them "corrupt") that it earned him the nickname "The Senator from PNM."

As for the chest thumping, he declared:

I applaud the court’s decision which puts an end to needless delay and political game playing at the PRC. The need for reforming a broken and incapable PRC is now more clear than ever. And now I ask my colleagues in the legislature to quickly pass Representative Small’s bill to professionalize the PRC.

Nothing like being gracious in victory.

The moment of truth for Candelaria and others who unfairly scorned the PRC as it attempted to weigh all sides of the argument, will eventually arrive. About the time Candelaria launches his expected campaign for Attorney General in 2022 San Juan will be closed. A year or two later we will hear from PNM about how they intend to resolve those "uncertainties" that today prevent them from saying what savings will occur for ratepayers. Will it be rate hikes, not savings, because everyone--except the PRC--turned a blind eye away from that question?

Climate change is real and the world needs to be saved. The argument that the ETA ruling puts more of the climate change cost burden on ordinary citizens than the corporation may have lost in court Wednesday but it's only round one. As the late, great Ernie Mills used to opine: "Don't say we didn't tell you."

JACOB JABS

Not to keep jabbing at Jacob, an erudite and committed lawmaker, but he's doing so much of his own lately that it calls out for comment. Like this email broadside he delivered against fellow Dem and Bernalillo County Commissioner Debbie O'Malley:

"Your behavior and lack of commitment and support for the westside is a matter of record. You don’t work collaboratively, and you throw bombs because you feel you know better than all of us and our communities,” he wrote, adding that he was “happy” that she was term-limited.”

What set Candelaria off was mild-mannered O'Malley's "push to get a West Central Route 66 Visitor Center feasibility study completed before construction began."

The $12 million center has been widely cited as a boondoggle that bows to parochial interests but as with the ETA, the Senator seems to interpret opposing views as personal affronts.

To borrow from the Godfather: It's not personal, Senator, it's just business."

THE BOTTOM LINES

Reader Marie Bass of Santa Fe writes:

Your post Tuesday noted a positive report by the Alibi on northern Dem congressional candidate Valerie Plame. Please note an earlier positive Alibi interview with candidate Teresa Leger Fernandez. I am an avid supporter of Teresa.

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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2020