PNM Executives Face Otero County Customers Today as NM Department of Justice Demands Answers on Billing Complaints

ALAMOGORDO, N.M. — September 12, 2026 — The ongoing controversy over PNM electric bills in Otero County has escalated to the state level, with the New Mexico Department of Justice confirming this week that it has intervened directly with the utility after fielding rate-increase and billing complaints from customers across the state.

In a letter dated September 10 and signed by Mark Hayden, Division Director of the NMDOJ Utilities Unit, the agency acknowledged that it has received complaints from "many PNM customers" concerning invoice irregularities over the last two months statewide. According to Hayden, initial attempts by his office to resolve the matter with PNM by telephone and online inquiry were unsuccessful — prompting him to personally hand-deliver a letter to PNM management and then meet in person with PNM's legal counsel to discuss the issues.

A Consistent Pattern

The NMDOJ letter describes a consistent pattern in the complaints. Customers received emails from PNM stating the utility was unable to obtain a reading of their electric meter "due to unforeseen circumstances." The emails told customers that PNM had estimated their meter reading for the month using historical usage from the account, while cautioning that changes in usage and outside temperatures could affect the accuracy of the estimate.

The problem, according to the NMDOJ: those billing estimates have often been significantly higher than any previous bill the customer had ever received.

From a Facebook Group to the AG's Office

For many Alamogordo residents, the road to Santa Fe began much closer to home. Affected customers began comparing notes on the local Facebook page "City Watch Group – Alamogordo and Surrounding Areas," where they discovered the inflated estimated bills weren't isolated incidents — the same thing was happening to neighbors across the community.

Local reporting on the issue helped connect residents with the right state agencies, directing them to the New Mexico Department of Justice, the Attorney General's office, and consumer protection channels. One Alamogordo complainant, in correspondence with the NMDOJ this week, disputed PNM's account of its own outreach, telling the agency that PNM never sent notices by mail to customers without email and that the utility "didn't do anything" until a local journalist contacted them directly.

It appears one individual's persistence in documenting and reporting the problem has now put the issue squarely on the state's radar — turning what many customers were told was a one-off billing hiccup into a formal, statewide inquiry.

What the State Is Demanding

The NMDOJ says PNM owes its customers three things: a detailed explanation of what happened, a plan for resolution by a certain date, and accurate billing for actual electrical consumption going forward.

"The NMDOJ is affording PNM an opportunity to resolve this matter before it takes further action," Hayden wrote, adding that the agency anticipates PNM will soon respond with a plan for resolution and that it will provide updates to keep complainants informed.

PNM Responds

Following the NMDOJ's intervention, PNM provided the following full statement to this publication in response to our media inquiry, delivered by PNM spokesperson Lisa Goodman:

"PNM has received the letter from the New Mexico Department of Justice, and we take the concerns raised by both our customers and the Department seriously.

We sincerely apologize for the confusion and frustration some of our customers experienced due to our meter reading staffing shortage. These shortages have caused some customers' bills to be delayed or estimated.

We want to assure customers that have received estimated bills that those bills will be reconciled when an actual meter reading is obtained, thus ensuring customers pay only for the electricity they actually use.

We recognize the inconvenience these issues have caused, and we are dedicated to providing customers with the time, flexibility, and support they need as we continue working to restore normal operations. For affected customers we have:

1. Put protections in place to ensure customers affected by delayed or estimated bills are not further impacted. This includes not charging late fees or disconnecting service for nonpayment.

2. We are offering payment extensions and flexible payment arrangements.

3. Financial assistance may also be available through the Good Neighbor Fund for eligible customers.

Again, we apologize for the issues we have caused. We want our customers to know we are working urgently to address the meter staffing challenges.

Customers with questions can visit PNM.com/BillingQuestions for additional information, answers to common questions, and details about available customer assistance resources or call us directly at 844-378-5792, M-F, 7:30am to 6pm."

The statement marks the utility's first public acknowledgment that a meter reading staffing shortage is behind the wave of delayed and estimated bills, and its first commitment that estimated bills will be reconciled against actual readings.

PNM at the Inkwell Today Until Noon

PNM representatives are in Alamogordo today, Saturday, September 12, 2026, hosting a community event at the Inkwell, running until noon. The event gives affected customers a chance to speak with the utility face to face about their bills.

Attendance interest has been modest so far, however, with only about 30 people signed up ahead of the event — a small showing given the volume of billing complaints circulating in local community groups. Customers with billing concerns still have time to stop by before noon today.

What Customers Should Do

PNM customers in Otero County who believe they have received inflated estimated bills are encouraged to attend today and or: 

• Keep copies of all bills and any "estimated reading" emails from PNM

• File a complaint with the New Mexico Department of Justice at nmdoj.gov

• Compare recent bills against the same billing period from prior years

This is a developing story. Updates will be published as the NMDOJ evaluates PNM's response and reconciled bills begin reaching customers and via further direct communications with complaintants and PNM executives. 

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