Click here for UNM Taos and KCEC Solar Array Project Statistics

Kit Carson Electric Cooperative ( KCEC) is a member owned Electric Distribution Cooperative. KCEC is one of 13 electric cooperatives that serve rural New Mexico communities, and one of 44 distribution cooperatives receiving power from Tri-State Generation and Transmission, of Denver, Colorado. KCEC serves over 29,497 members in Taos, Colfax and Rio Arriba Counties. Formed in 1944, KCEC is the second largest cooperative in the State of New Mexico.

In the mid 1990s, the electrical deregulation movement brought unprecedented changes to the utility industry. Cooperatives like KCEC who have long served their members, begin to see the lines between utility services become blurred, and also noticed that traditionally integrated products and services started to become unbundled and subject to competition.

At the 1998 Annual Meeting the current board was instructed by the membership to explore the possibility of diversifying into like businesses that were at that time not meeting the needs of the membership.

In 2001, the board was expanded to 11 members due to the growth of KCEC's service area. With the new board and the member mandate, the work began and improvements of the cooperative facility begin to take shape.  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. Outreach programs begin with the Public Relations Department to keep its members informed of the projects and programs it offers.

In preparation for deregulation, KCEC also created three divisions to offer cooperative members different services. Along with Electrical Service, these include Internet Service, Telecommunications Service, Internet Service, Propane Service and an economic development committee to explore economic opportunities in our service areas.

KCEC expanded into Telecommunications to offer a wide range of services to the community and began providing Internet access. Kit Carson Internet has been in business since January of 2000 and now has approximately 3000 users. Kit Carson Internet provides local dial up, DSL, Wireless, Web Hosting and Wild Blue Satellite access to all of its members in our service territory.