August 17, 2018 • EPE Related News
Santa Fe New Mexican: PRC commissioner Lovejoy recuses herself from solar farm case; Jones won’t
One state public regulation commissioner has recused herself but another has declined to do so in a case involving a solar company that was a major campaign contributor to the commissioners’ re-election campaigns.
Commissioner Lynda Lovejoy filed a notice last week that she wouldn’t take part in deciding whether El Paso Electric receives approval to purchase a solar farm to be built by Affordable Solar Installation of Albuquerque.
But Public Regulation Commission Chairman Sandy Jones on Tuesday rejected a request that he also step aside from El Paso Electric’s case, saying the political donations from Affordable Solar wouldn’t color his decision.
In their bids for re-election, Jones received at least $13,000 in contributions and Lovejoy at least $4,500 from Affordable Solar and related companies and individuals, according to the commissioners’ campaign finance reports.
Jones and Lovejoy received the money after voting to overturn a PRC hearing examiner and allow Public Service Company of New Mexico to purchase five solar farms to be built by Affordable Solar.
The commissioners, both Democrats, were defeated in the June primary election.
New Energy Economy, a Santa Fe advocacy group for renewal energy, had requested the recusals of Jones and Lovejoy in El Paso Electric’s case, saying the campaign donations from Affordable Solar created an “obvious appearance of impropriety.”
Lovejoy’s notice that she was stepping aside from the case didn’t explain the reason for the action. She couldn’t be reached for comment Wednesday.
In his notice that he wouldn’t recuse himself, Jones said any contention that the Affordable Solar donations would affect his position was without merit.
The commission chairman also rejected New Energy Economy’s argument that he was biased against the group “notwithstanding NEE’s apparent disdain for capitalism” and “their anti-utility position that also opposes clean energy and opposes New Mexico businesses’ participation in such projects.”
“I will evaluate the merits of the (El Paso Electric) project independently of their position,” Jones wrote.
New Energy Economy also had requested Jones and Lovejoy recuse themselves from ruling on Public Service Company of New Mexico’s proposed future mix of coal, solar and other power to meet customer demand.
PNM’s parent company donated $440,000 to a political action committee that campaigned for the re-election of Jones and Lovejoy.
Last month, the commissioners declined to step away from the case, but Lovejoy has since reversed herself.
Lovejoy told the Farmington Daily Times that she didn’t have the money for a court fight with New Energy Economy.
The group is now asking the state Supreme Court to force Jones from the PNM case.
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