Help paying utility bills in New Mexico

How the New Mexico heating season protection works

New Mexico's heating season protection runs from November 15 through March 15 under the Public Regulation Commission (PRC) rule at 17.5.410 of the New Mexico Administrative Code. It does not cover every home. A gas or electric utility may not disconnect you for nonpayment in that window if it has been told you qualify for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and you either had no past-due balance on November 15 or you are keeping up with a settlement or installment agreement. You can still earn the protection mid-season by paying what was owed on November 15 or by signing an agreement and sticking to it. If you were cut off and later show LIHEAP approval and meet the payment terms, the utility must restore service no later than the next working day.

Notices, shutoff hours and the two medical forms

The rule requires written notice at least 15 days before a shutoff, in English and Spanish, plus another contact at least two days before the date. Crews may disconnect only from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and not within 24 hours of a weekend or holiday unless the office can take payment and restore service. If someone in the home is seriously or chronically ill, ask for the medical and financial certification forms. A licensed physician, physician assistant, osteopathic physician or certified nurse practitioner signs the medical form, which is valid for 90 days. The financial form must be redone every 90 days. Once the utility has both signed forms, it cannot cut service for nonpayment, so get the originals to it at least two days before the shutoff date.

Asking for an installment agreement before the date

If you cannot pay the whole balance, ask for an installment agreement before the date on your notice. The rule says the utility shall attempt to arrange one when a customer who is not chronically late shows an inability to pay, and service is not cut if you sign by that date. You pay a reasonable portion up front and the rest in installments. The utility weighs the size of the balance, your ability to pay and your history, and the rule names a six month agreement for households with large arrears. Chronically late customers who qualify for LIHEAP still get special consideration. If the utility gives a final refusal, it must tell you that you can appeal to the commission.

Applying for LIHEAP and Crisis LIHEAP

The New Mexico Health Care Authority, formerly the Human Services Department, runs LIHEAP for heating and cooling costs. Apply online through the YesNM portal or at your nearest Income Support Division office. Bring ID for one adult, 30 days of income proof and a recent heating or cooling bill. Expect an interview request in about ten days and a decision letter within 45 days. Crisis LIHEAP moves faster if your service is already off, you hold a disconnect notice, or you are nearly out of wood, propane or another bulk fuel. In New Mexico, LIHEAP approval does two jobs: it pays toward the bill and it unlocks the winter protection above. Some tribal and pueblo members apply through their own tribal program instead.

PNM, New Mexico Gas and NM Energy$mart

PNM customers can ask about the Good Neighbor Fund, an annual grant applied straight to the PNM account and run by the Rio Grande Food Project. It requires proof of current-year LIHEAP or SNAP, a past-due balance or disconnect notice (seniors who meet the income rules can skip that part), and ID that matches the account name. PNM also offers payment plans and budget billing. New Mexico Gas Company customers can apply for Heat New Mexico, a payment program run by The Salvation Army for income-qualifying families. For lower bills over time, the Mortgage Finance Authority's NM Energy$mart program provides energy-saving retrofits and health and safety repairs at no cost to eligible owners and renters through regional service providers. Water and sewer service often comes from a city or water authority with its own rules.

Taking a dispute to the Public Regulation Commission

The PRC strongly suggests raising the problem with the company first. If that fails, its Consumer Relations Division takes informal complaints through an online form and mediates with the utility for you. If the informal result does not fix things, you can file a formal complaint for a $25 fee, naming the rule or tariff you believe was broken. Once a formal complaint is filed, the utility generally may not disconnect over the disputed matter, though undisputed charges are still due on time. Check the PRC company directory before filing, since the commission handles only companies it regulates. Tribal and pueblo members can ask the Consumer Relations Division for translation help.

Where Settlemont fits for a New Mexico household

Settlemont is bill payment technology for one specific Utility, Medical or Education bill. You submit six fields privately: first name, email, state, category, amount and due date. A one-time access code then lets you name the biller in a separate private step, and staff verify the biller, you and the current balance. An approved page shows only your first name, New Mexico, the category and the verified amount. Support goes directly to PNM, New Mexico Gas or whichever company holds the bill, never to you as cash, and you pay Settlemont nothing. Approval is not a promise of payment, so keep your LIHEAP application and installment agreement moving at the same time.

Sources

• New Mexico Administrative Code 17.5.410: Rights and responsibilities for residential gas and electric service
• New Mexico Health Care Authority: Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
• New Mexico Public Regulation Commission: File a Complaint
• PNM: Good Neighbor Fund
• New Mexico Gas Company: Assistance
• New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority: NM Energy$mart Weatherization Assistance

Facts checked November 2026. Rules change, so confirm with the agency or utility before relying on a protection.

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