Once it became apparent to Tri-State that the New Mexico regulators were serious about examining its rate structure, Tri-State fled to federal court in Albuquerque to make the same argument described in your editorial, namely, that state regulators have no jurisdiction over it because it is engaged in interstate commerce. In addition to the fallacy of that position, Tri-State also ignores in that action the fact that in 2001 it agreed to be regulated by the New Mexico PRC in order to acquire Plains Electric Generation & Transmission and do business in New Mexico. The New Mexico litigation on this issue is pending.

It is time that Tri-State’s bullying of its member cooperatives and gouging of cooperative members with outrageous wholesale electric rates is subjected to regulation by state agencies established for the purpose of protecting consumers. The actions of the New Mexico PRC and the administrative law judge in Colorado are small first steps in, what I hope will be, a reining in of the imperious giant that Tri-State has become.

Peter J. Adang

Ranchos de Taos, N.M.