Kit Carson Electric Cooperative is a member owned Electric Distribution Cooperative. Kit Carson 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, out of Denver, Colorado. Kit Carson serves over 25,000 members in Taos, Colfax and Rio Arriba Counties. Formed in 1944, Kit Carson is the second largest cooperative in the State of New Mexico.

In the 1990's, the electrical deregulation movement brought unprecedented changes to the utility industry. Cooperatives like Kit Carson who have long served their members, saw the lines between utility services become blurred, and traditionally integrated products and services have become unbundled and subject to competition.

In 1998 at the 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 the Co-op's service area. With the new board and the member mandate, the work began to increase and improve the work of the co-op. The Old Kit Carson Building was renovated and a new Kit Carson Facility was constructed with additional space to include a 10,000 square foot building to help provide economic development to Taos County. The building includes all new offices, an in-house billing room, two efficiencies to house standby employees, and plenty of space for expansion. The cooperative has satellite offices in all five of the districts it serves. Out reach programs begin with the Public Relations Department to keep its members informed of the projects and programs it offers.

In preparation for deregulation, Kit Carson Electric created three divisions to offer cooperative members different services. Along with Electrical Service, these include Internet Service, Telecommunications service and Propane Service.

Kit Carson 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 access to all of its members in our service territory. Kit Carson Internet also provides high-speed Internet via fixed wireless at reasonable costs to our members in selected areas.

Kit Carson will finance up to $1,000 on a computer for customers in good standing to purchase a computer. Combined with our new Internet service, more and more of our customers are now cruising on the Information Highway. The Cooperative also provides free public access computers at its main office on Cruz Alta for the general public and in collaboration with the Town of Taos at the Taos Youth and Family Center for Taos youth.

Kit Carson Propane sold its first 1000 gallons of propane in October of 2000. It now serves approximately 3000 customers in Taos, Colfax and Rio Arriba Counties. The Propane division had its propane prices fixed at .0999 cents per gallon since it opened until April 2004. Currently we still have the lowest price per gallon. The Propane division offers a fixed rate, metered services, compliance upgrade financing, and safety first philosophy to its members.

Concerned about clean economic development in Taos, The co-op in cooperation with the Taos Business Alliance and other community organizations, helped create more jobs for our citizens. Kit Carson built an addition to their headquarters for a call center that is now occupied by Advanced Call Center Technologies from Pennsylvania that provides jobs for northern New Mexico citizens.

Interested in preserving a healthy environment, Kit Carson Electric is the first New Mexico Cooperative offering the Green Power Option to its members. Kit Carson offers 100 kWh blocks of wind-generated energy to customers who prefer to use alternative energy. In cooperation with the "dark skies" campaign, Kit Carson Electric has shielded Taos County lights in an effort to reduce light pollution.

Luis Reyes, Jr., Chief Executive Officer of the co-op says, "At Kit Carson we're very interested in helping the community and contributing to the market that supports them. We want to be a good neighbor and benefit the community."

Kit Carson provides scholarships to deserving college-bound seniors from its service area through its foundation. The Board of Trustees set up the Kit Carson Electric Foundation, a private 501(c)(3) with co-op unclaimed capital credits to set up the Scholarship Fund as well as to provide monetary grants to non-profit and community organizations.