The City of Socorro, Socorro Electric Cooperative, Inc., and Nuvve New Mexico signed a landmark agreement to accelerate the modernization of their electric infrastructure through a newly formed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to advance transportation electrification and strengthen community resilience across the Socorro region. 

The MOU also coordinates projects, pursues state and federal funding opportunities, and ensures that community priorities guide implementation.

Under the agreement, the parties will coordinate in six priority areas:

1. Grid Modernization & Resilience – Assessing SEC’s circuits and grid vulnerabilities to identify opportunities for distributed batteries, peak shaving, microgrids, and emergency backup solutions.

2. School Bus Electrification – Pursuing state funding to help Socorro Consolidated Schools and nearby districts procure electric buses, chargers, and supporting infrastructure.

3. Municipal Fleet Electrification – Replacing aging city vehicles with electric vehicles supported by Nuvve’s competitive statewide pricing agreement.

4. Smart Rates & Demand Charge Mitigation – Developing rate strategies that encourage electrification while lowering peak demand costs for city facilities and cooperative members.

5. Charging Infrastructure Expansion – Adding new charging sites in Socorro and SEC service territory to support the city, public agencies, residents, travelers, and local businesses.

6. Renewable Energy Integration – Combining solar, energy storage, and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) systems to enhance local energy affordability and reliability.

“Socorro Electric Cooperative is eager to work with the City and Nuvve to identify where these projects can provide the greatest impact for our members—whether that’s improving reliability for all members, hospitals, and emergency services, or supporting new electric transportation opportunities,” said Manny Gonzales, CEO of Socorro Electric Cooperative.