State Commissions
Stephen Fischmann is a Commissioner for the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission.
The New Mexico Public Regulation Commission is busy, tasked by the state legislature with implementation of the Energy Transition Act, calling for a phased transition to clean energy with goals of fifty percent renewables by 2030, eighty percent by 2040, and net zero for IOUs by 2045 and for co-ops by 2050. The five-member elected Commission will change to a three-member appointed one at the end of 2022. The Commissioners said they want to leave it all better. Here, they tell you in their words about the coming changes and the status and future of the energy and utilities industry in the beautiful State of New Mexico.
PUF's Lori Burkhart: How did your background lead you to the Commission?
Commissioner Stephen Fischmann: I worked as a corporate executive at Levi Strauss & Co for many years and moved to New Mexico to retire in 2005. I fell in with activists focused on energy issues and got involved with local renewable and energy efficiency issues to connect with the community and keep busy.
Local politicos ensured my complete failure at retirement by talking me into running for State Senate. Once elected, I asked to serve on the conservation committee, which handles all the energy issues in New Mexico, and became more deeply immersed in energy and environmental issues.