Accurate Billing
PNM remains committed to accurate customer billing by safely obtaining meter readings from New Mexico homes and businesses during pandemic.
Because every penny matters right now, PNM ensures accuracy of electric bills
PNM wants to help you! We’re all in this together.
We don’t just keep the power on, we want to help you power on.
Providing Accurate Bills
During these difficult times, we know that every dollar matters. PNM wants to ensure the accuracy of your bill. To do that, our meter readers are committed to obtaining actual meter data from your homes and businesses. With meter readers doing their jobs, we are able to avoid estimating your bills. Estimating your power usage means your bill today won't be self-corrected until we can obtain an accurate meter reading. To lessen that uncertainty in these trying times, we are sending out our meter readers to give you accurate bills each month. We are doing all we can to keep our meter readers safe and healthy to stop the spread of the coronavirus. If you see a meter reader in your neighborhood, please waive hello from at least six feet away.
Accurate bills give us all peace of mind as we focus on what matters most.
Keeping Meter Readers Safe
The safety of our employees and our ability to serve our customers is of the utmost priority for PNM. To give you an accurate bill, our meter readers will be outside homes and businesses to obtain actual meter data. We have taken precautions to keep them, and you, safe.
For meter readers, this means:
- Staggered start times to avoid gathering more than 10 people and briefing shifts to practice safe social distancing.
- Robust daily cleaning regimen, including more vigorous and increased frequency of cleaning
- Disinfecting all equipment and vehicles.
- Additional personal protective equipment such as gloves, hand sanitizer, and facial coverings.
- No shared vehicles with each meter reader having their own vehicle to safely perform their essential job.
- Temperature monitoring for each meter reader and verification that they are symptom-free.
- Meter readers are asked not to congregate when they begin and finish their shift
- Implementation of CDC guidance related to washing hands and not touching faces.
You have an important role in keeping PNM meter readers safe. We realize that PNM meter readers are easy to recognize, and we are all tempted to approach them with questions. During this pandemic, please maintain social distancing and allow them to focus on their work so they can get back to their families safe and healthy. Always ensure your pets are safely secured and gates are unlocked, if needed.
Estimating Meters
PNM is still safely reading approximately 95% of all 540,000 meters for residential and business customers statewide. Although that percentage may vary. Our meter readers work to ensure the accuracy of your bill. They are truly integrated in our communities by walking as much as 8-10 miles per day, as well as driving many miles on their routes to gather this information. Obtaining actual meter reads means your bill is based on your household's actual consumption and is not an estimate.
In some cases, your energy use may be estimated because our meter reader was unable to read your meter, perhaps due to inclement weather or safety hazards such as dogs, overgrown shrubs, or other safety incidents that may be present. When this happens, we may estimate a meter reading for the month. To estimate meter readings, PNM utilizes historical electric usage from the account in order to produce a bill. While our estimates are close to an actual reading, changes in how customers are currently using electricity compared to how they may have historically used energy during this time of year may impact the actual amount of electricity used. Any difference in the actual usage will self-correct with the next meter reading. PNM will attempt to contact any customer whose bill is estimated prior to the customer receiving a bill.
During these difficult times, we know that every dollar matters. PNM wants to ensure the accuracy of your bill, so you only pay for what you use. To help us read your meter and avoid an estimate, please make sure we have clear and easy access to your meter.
Can I submit my own meter reading to PNM?
Our goal is to give you an accurate meter reading.
If you receive a message from us that your bill has been estimated, you can always call PNM call 1-888-DIAL-PNM (888-342-5766) to provide an actual reading.
How do I read my meter?
Watch this video on how to submit your own meter read to PNM. For questions, please contact PNM at 888-DIAL-PNM (888-342-5766) Monday – Friday from 7:30 AM
