Central New Mexico Electric Cooperative

What Central New Mexico Electric Cooperative does

Central New Mexico Electric Cooperative (CNMEC) is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperative founded circa 1940 during the federal rural electrification era and headquartered in Moriarty, New Mexico. The cooperative operates and maintains over 4,500 miles of distribution line delivering electricity to more than 13,500 members across 11 counties in central and eastern New Mexico, with a secondary office in Mountainair and an 8-member elected board of trustees governing the organization under standard cooperative principles. Distribution is supplemented by security and street lighting services priced at $5-$21 per fixture per month and a new service connection fee of $50.

CNMEC's product portfolio centers on the SmartHub member portal — a web and mobile application provided by National Information Solutions Cooperative (NISC) that integrates bill payment, daily usage monitoring with weather normalization, outage reporting, auto-pay, and notifications. Adjacent products include a Member Rebates program covering heat pump water heaters, EV chargers, smart thermostats, and commercial LED retrofits; a Net Metering and Renewable Energy Credits program operating under New Mexico PRC Rules 568 and 570; surge protection; and the Energy Wise efficiency program. The cooperative has extended its service surface into broadband through its wholly-owned subsidiary Co-op Community Connect, which is actively building fiber infrastructure across the territory, and through a reseller arrangement with TWN Communications branded as Wi-Power for residential and business internet plus digital phone service.

Revenue is generated primarily through recurring monthly electricity distribution charges billed to members, with broadband subscriptions as an emerging second stream; any excess revenue is returned to members over time through capital credit retirements. Member acquisition is direct-to-consumer via the website, phone, and two physical offices, supplemented by community engagement programs (scholarships, Youth Tour, safety contests) and monthly newsletters. CNMEC sits within the broader national cooperative ecosystem through Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association and NRECA, gaining mutual-aid outage restoration, shared technology development, and board-level representation in G&T procurement.

Name

Central New Mexico Electric Cooperative

Legal name

Central New Mexico Electric Cooperative, Inc.

Website

https://cnmec.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1940

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Central New Mexico Electric Cooperative is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric utility founded circa 1940, delivering electricity to 13,500+ members across 11 New Mexico counties via 4,500+ miles of line, and expanding into fiber broadband through its Co-op Community Connect subsidiary.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electric Utility Distribution

NAICS

Electric Power Distribution (221122), Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (2211), Electric Power Transmission, Control, and Distribution (22112), Solar Electric Power Generation (221114)

SIC

Electric Services (4911)

akta.pro primary industry

Electric Cooperatives (Rural/Member-Owned Utilities) (EUADABAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Distribution Network Service Providers (DNSPs) / Regulated Distribution Companies (Ring-fenced DSOs) (EUADABAH), DER Aggregation & Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) (EUAMAJAC), Community Microgrids & Shared Distributed Generation (EUACALAC), Federations/Centrals & Cooperative Banking Networks (2nd-Tier Co-ops) (FSABAEAL)

Keywords

• Electric distribution services
• Rural electric cooperative
• Broadband internet services
• Member-owned utility
• Energy efficiency programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Moriarty

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Electric Distribution Services: CNMEC operates as a not-for-profit, member-owned electric cooperative. Revenue is generated from electricity distribution fees charged to members. Any excess revenue is shared back with members over time through capital credit retirements. The co-op covers over 4,500 miles of line serving more than 13,500 members in 11 counties.
2. Broadband Internet (Wi-Power): CNMEC, through its Co-op Community Connect division, offers high-speed internet (Wi-Power) to residential and business members. The broadband service is available to members in the service territory with professional installation by a Co-op Community Connect representative.
3. Security and Street Lighting: CNMEC provides security lighting and street/highway lighting services to members for a monthly charge added to the electric bill. Lighting options range from 100 Watt HPS fixtures at $6.00/month to 400 Watt fixtures at $21.00/month.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Central New Mexico Electric Cooperative is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric distribution cooperative that delivers electricity across more than 4,500 miles of power line to over 13,500 members across 11 counties in central and eastern New Mexico. In addition to core electric distribution, CNMEC provides broadband internet through its wholly-owned Co-op Community Connect division and a partnership-branded Wi-Power service, alongside net metering, lighting, surge protection, and energy-efficiency rebate programs for members.

Product overview

Central New Mexico Electric Cooperative operates as a member-owned, not-for-profit electric utility providing core electricity distribution services across 4,500+ miles of lines to 13,500+ members in 11 New Mexico counties. The cooperative's product portfolio centers on its core SmartHub platform—a web and mobile application provided by National Information Solutions Cooperative (NISC) that delivers integrated account management, bill payment, usage monitoring, and outage reporting. Adjacent to electricity, CNMEC has launched Co-op Community Connect, its own broadband division offering residential and business internet services. The cooperative also resells Wi-Power high-speed internet through a partnership with TWN Communications. Additional service modules include net metering for distributed generation, member rebate programs for energy efficiency upgrades, surge protection, security and street lighting, the Energy Wise program, and traditional payment processing via multiple channels. The cooperative follows a platform-plus-modules architecture where SmartHub serves as the central digital hub for member interactions, supplemented by specialized add-on programs for energy management and assistance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Electric Distribution Services Core electric utility service delivering electricity to residential and small-business members across 4,500+ miles of line in 11 New Mexico counties. Includes new construction connections, line extensions, service transfers, meter reading, tree trimming, and ongoing line maintenance.
• Co-op Community Connect Broadband High-speed fiber broadband internet service offered by CNMEC's wholly-owned Co-op Community Connect division to residential and business members, including professional installation by a Co-op Community Connect representative.
• Wi-Power Internet High-speed internet and digital phone service delivered to CNMEC members through a partnership with TWN Communications, available to residential and business customers.
• Security and Street Lighting Services Security lighting and street/highway lighting offered on member properties, billed as a monthly charge on the member's electric bill based on fixture type and wattage (e.g., 100W HPS at $6.00/month; 400W fixture at $21.00/month).
• Net Metering Program Program allowing members with distributed generation systems (solar or other renewables) to interconnect with CNMEC's grid and receive credits on their bills for excess energy generated, governed by PRC Rule 568/Rule 570.
• Surge Protection Program Subscription-based surge protection service for member properties to safeguard electrical equipment from voltage surges on CNMEC's distribution system.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TWN Communications (TWN)coreTechnology or IntegrationTWN Communications provides high-speed internet (Wi-Power) to CNMEC members in partnership. CNMEC's Co-op Community Connect division offers Wi-Power residential and business internet solutions, with TWN providing the underlying network infrastructure. TWN's logo is displayed alongside Wi-Power branding, and members are directed to the TWN website for additional information.
• Tri-State Generation and Transmission AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTri-State G&T is a generation and transmission cooperative that provides power supply services to its member electric cooperatives. CNMEC Board member Wayne Connell serves on the Board of Trustees for Tri-State G&T Association, representing the cooperative's interests in this strategic partnership.
• National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNRECA is the national trade association representing America's electric cooperatives. CNMEC board member Wayne Connell serves on the NRECA Executive Committee and the New Mexico Statewide Board of Trustees. CNMEC participates in NRECA programs including the Youth Leadership Tour to Washington D.C. and the NMRECA Member Service Organization (which supports the Safety Coloring Contest).
• Estancia Valley Economic Development Association (EVEDA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCNMEC is a community-focused organization that invests in the community through EVEDA, an economic development association supporting the Estancia Valley region. CNMEC participates in community investment programs alongside EVEDA.
• Rural Electric Economic Development Program (REEDP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCNMEC invests in the community through the Rural Electric Economic Development Program (REEDP), a fund that supports economic development initiatives in rural electric cooperative territories.
• Enchantment LegacyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnchantment Legacy is a non-profit organization providing home services to disabled and elderly members of the community. CNMEC Board member Santos Tapia Jr. serves as Chairman of Enchantment Legacy, linking the co-op to this community service organization.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association: The wholesale power supplier and G&T cooperative of which CNMEC is a member. While not a direct distribution competitor, Tri-State is a critical counterparty and governance stakeholder and the closest utility-network peer in CNMEC's ecosystem.

Direct peers

• Jemez Mountains Electric Cooperative: A New Mexico rural electric cooperative serving rural communities in the Jemez Mountains region. Directly comparable as a member-owned electric co-op operating in adjacent New Mexico territory with similar service-area economics and member programs.
• Lea County Electric Cooperative: An eastern New Mexico electric cooperative serving oil-and-gas and agricultural territory. Directly comparable as a member-owned distribution co-op with overlapping Tri-State-era governance structures.
• Otero County Electric Cooperative: A rural electric cooperative in southern New Mexico. Directly comparable as a member-owned distribution utility operating under NM PRC oversight with similar agricultural/rural service territory dynamics.
• Tri-County Electric Cooperative (NM): A New Mexico rural electric cooperative serving a multi-county territory. Directly comparable as a member-owned distribution utility of similar scale and operating model.
• Roosevelt County Electric Cooperative: An eastern New Mexico electric cooperative serving agricultural and rural members. Comparable in scale, customer mix (farms/ranches), and reliance on Tri-State G&T for wholesale supply.
• Kit Carson Electric Cooperative: A New Mexico rural electric cooperative also offering broadband services to its members. Comparable as a co-op that has expanded into telecommunications, illustrating the same growth path CNMEC is pursuing with Co-op Community Connect.
• Continental Divide Electric Cooperative: A New Mexico electric cooperative serving rural members across multiple counties. Closely comparable in business model (member-owned distribution co-op), scale (thousands of members, thousands of miles of line), and Tri-State G&T membership.
• Socorro Electric Cooperative: A New Mexico electric cooperative serving Socorro County and surrounding areas. Comparable as a rural distribution co-op with similar scale, member programs, and reliance on Tri-State G&T for wholesale power.
• Sangre de Cristo Electric Association: A Colorado-based rural electric cooperative similar in size and member-owned structure to CNMEC. Comparable as a small distribution co-op operating in a similar rural mountain/desert geography.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CNMElectricCooperative
• Instagraminstagram.com/cnmec4483
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cnm-electric

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Central New Mexico Electric Cooperative