Kit Carson Propane
118 Cruz Alta Road , Taos, New Mexico, United States

Kit Carson Propane was established in October 2000.  The members of Kit Carson Electric Cooperative, Inc. (KCEC) voted to establish the propane business to help stabilize unusually high propane prices in Taos, Rio Arriba, and Colfax Counties.  One year prior to commencing the propane business; Kit Carson Propane began accepting applications for propane service.  Those initial applications held the names of over 3,000 members in Taos, Peñasco, Questa, Ojo Caliente, and Angel Fire Districts.  We began serving members beginning with the first customer who signed up: Mr. Rudy Gallegos of Amalia.  In January 2010 KCP became a subsidiary of Kit Carson Electric Cooperative, Inc. (KCEC).  Since then, with the right propane pricing module KCP has become a very strong and healthy business.  We strive for high quality customer service and have upgraded some areas to make our business more attractive, safe and convenient for our customers and employees.  We have paved our parking lot, built a new two-sided bottle filling station, installed easy to read signage, and a crosswalk.  Today, we can proudly report that we serve over 2,715 customers in Northern New Mexico.  KCP’s primary goal is to provide safe, affordable propane service to you, our customers while continuing to deliver excellence in service.  KCP offers a wide range of products and services to accommodate the needs of both residential and commercial sectors i.e. e-billing, online bill pay, etc.

A LONG HISTORY OF COMMUNITY SERVICE

Kit Carson Electric Cooperative (KCEC) is a member-owned Electric Distribution Cooperative serving Taos, Colfax, and Rio Arriba Counties since 1944. For the past seventy-five years, KCEC has been providing electricity to its over 29,000 members. Through employment opportunities, KCEC, its division – Kit Carson Internet and its subsidiary – Kit Carson Energy, Inc., the coop supports approximately 125 families.  KCEC has been a community leader in economic development for decades. In the 1990s, the electrical deregulation movement brought unprecedented changes to the utility industry which opened the door for KCEC to offer new infrastructure services such as propane and internet. KCEC first established wireless internet than with the help of an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant, built over 2900 miles of fiber optic line for high-speed internet and phone services.  In 2002, KCEC took the lead to become “The Solar Capital of the World” as was coined by a community member. KCEC has been building its solar capacity ever since. The first arrays were at the main offices, UNM Taos campus, Taos Charter School, EcoPark, Blue Sky and KTAO.  In December 2016, the KCEC Board of Trustees voted unanimously to create a plan to achieve the goal of 100% daytime solar by 2022.  In 2016, KCEC made its move on the historic buy out from Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association which limited coops to 5% solar energy production as a sole source energy provider. In July 2016, KCEC partnered with Guzman Energy, an independent energy provider. As a result, KCEC is leading in the development and implementation of a new utility business model.  KCEC in its partnership with Guzman Renewable Energy Partners (GREP) has strategically designed a solar deployment plan within the Kit Carson Service territory to meet the Board and community goals. The project builds on the accomplishments KCEC has made installing solar arrays over the past twelve years. Currently, KCEC in partnership with Guzman Energy will have strategically a total of 10MW of solar PV in 2018. The goal of 35MW which will provide 100% daytime solar energy will be complete by 2022.  KCEC is committed to the development of renewable energy, the creation of local jobs in our community, and energy cost stabilization.  Kit Carson Electric Cooperative (KCEC) is committed to providing north central New Mexico with reliable renewable energy.  Together these elements will be the pilot project for a Resilient Renewable Energy Roadmap for Rural Electric Cooperatives. This roadmap is the formal project of KCEC’s work with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s Solar Energy Innovation Network.

History

KCEC is the second largest cooperative in the State of New Mexico. There are 16 electric distribution cooperatives in New Mexico, 15 of which are members of the New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperative Association. Ten of the 15-member distribution cooperatives receive wholesale power from Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association headquartered in Westminster, Colorado. Four are members of Western Farmers Electric Cooperative headquartered in Anadarko, Oklahoma; and one distribution cooperative, KCEC, receives power from an independent wholesale power supplier.  There are also three electric distribution cooperatives that are associate members of the New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperative Association. They are Duncan Valley Electric, Duncan, Arizona; Navopache Electric, Lakeside, Arizona; and Rio Grande Electric, Brackettville, Texas.  The old KCEC Building was renovated and a new KCEC facility was constructed with additional space to include a 10,000 square foot building to help provide economic development to Taos County. The building included all new offices, an in-house billing room, two efficiencies to house standby employees, and plenty of space for expansion. The cooperative also constructed satellite offices in all five of the districts it serves.

Seven Cooperative Principles

For the past 30 years, there have been six guiding principles adhered to by the co-ops around the world. As of September 23, 1995, that number increased to seven, the result of a vote taken at the General Assembly of the International Cooperative Alliance in Manchester, England. The new principles essentially combine two of the old principles “limited return on investment” and “return of patronage” into a principle called “economic participation.”

• Cooperatives are voluntary organization, open to all persons able to use their services and willing to accept the responsibilities of membership, without gender, social, racial, political, or religious discrimination.
• Cooperatives are democratic organizations controlled by their members, who actively participate in setting policies and making decisions. Men and women serving as elected representatives are accountable to the membership. In primary cooperatives, members have equal voting rights (one member, one vote) and cooperatives at other levels are organized in a democratic manner.
• Members contribute equitably to, and democratically control, the capital of the Cooperative. At least part of that capital is usually the common property of the Cooperative. Members usually receive limited compensation, if any, on capital subscribed as a condition of membership. Members allocate surpluses for any or all of the following purposes: developing the cooperative, possibly by setting up reserves, part of which at least would be indivisible; benefiting members in proportion to their transactions with the cooperative; and supporting other activities approved by the membership.
• Cooperatives are autonomous, self-help organizations controlled by their members. If they enter into agreements with other organizations, including governments, or raise capital from external sources, they do so on terms that ensure democratize control by their members and maintain their cooperative autonomy.
• Cooperatives provide education and training for their members, elected representatives, managers, and employees so they can contribute effectively to the development of their cooperatives. They inform the general public particularly young people and opinion leaders about the nature and benefits of cooperation.
• Cooperatives serve their members most effectively and strengthen the cooperative movement by working together through local, national, and international structure.
• While focusing on member needs, cooperatives work for the sustainable development of their communities through policies accepted by their members.