New Mexico regulators punt Facebook transmission line ruling

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico regulators have punted on a decision to force the state’s largest utility to charged Facebook for half the cost of a new transmission line.

The Albuquerque Journal reports the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission voted 5-0 on Wednesday to defer the issue of Public Service Company of New Mexico cost recovery for a transmission line. That line would power Facebook’s new data center south of Albuquerque.

That decision lets Menlo Park, California-based Facebook off the hook for a $39 million bill that the commission had said utility should directly charge the social media giant to finance the project.

Earlier this year, the commission ordered the utility to charge Facebook for nearly half the cost of the project.

The utility then asked the commission to reopen the case.