New Mexico's largest electric provider is defending its request to raise rates.
Public Service Company of New Mexico on Thursday filed its objections to a hearing examiner's recommendation that the state Public Regulation Commission reject the utility's request because it was incomplete.
Environmentalists had argued that PNM failed to provide state regulators with enough information to justify a 12 percent rate hike.
PNM officials say their rate request is complete and that the hearing examiner is wrongly imposing a "heighten standard" for the utility.
Regulators are expected to take up the issue later this month.
The utility has said the increase is needed to help cover the costs of new solar-power generating stations, federally mandated pollution controls at the coal-fired San Juan Generating Station and other infrastructure.
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