Portales City Council discusses move from Xcel to Roosevelt County Co-op

Portales City Council members on Tuesday briefly discussed the idea of Portales pivoting from Xcel Energy to Roosevelt County Co-op.

Portales Mayor Michael Miller said the idea won’t likely work because, “We’re (Portales) under a franchise agreement with Xcel until 2036.” But Councilman Rustin Self said, “They (Xcel) could be bought out.”

Councilman Eldon Merrick told The News after the meeting that a switch in electricity providers could provide benefits for Portales and its residents. 

“They (the co-op) have a lot of infrastructure invested in the county and it could help us with more employees being hired in this community and tax revenue as a corresponding result. I just feel it is a possibility that needs to be considered as we move forward as a community,” Merrick said. 

Merrick said he does “appreciate the service we do have” with Xcel, but said Xcel does not have an office in Portales “and our citizens have to go through a myriad of call options to turn in a trouble ticket and sometimes equipment has to be dispatched from another location.  A local office would be helpful in that aspect.”

Council members took no action on the issue.