Santa Fe New Mexican (Jan. 2, 2025) – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has appointed a former Republican state senator and oil and gas lawyer to a six-year term on the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission.
Greg Nibert of Roswell beat out five other final candidates for the role, including outgoing commissioner James Ellison, who was vying for another term after being appointed by Lujan Grisham in January 2023 to a two-year term.
The selection process was overseen by the seven-member Public Regulation Commission Nominating Committee, which advised the governor but did not have final say over the selection. Per state law, the governor had to fill the seat with either a Republican or an independent.
Nibert, 66, was appointed by the governor to a state Senate seat at the beginning of 2024 after representing Roswell in the House of Representatives since 2016. He lost a three-way Republican primary race to challenger Patrick Boone in June 2024; his Senate term ended Tuesday.
The Public Regulation Commission was significantly overhauled following a constitutional amendment voters approved in 2020, and three new commissioners appointed by the governor to take office in 2023 were given terms with staggered expiration dates, Ellison’s being the soonest.
Ellison, a former grid analyst at Sandia National Laboratories, was appointed after Lujan Grisham’s nominee Brian Moore quickly resigned following criticism he was unqualified for the position.
Nibert’s term began Wednesday and will run through 2030. As a commissioner, he will be paid a salary of $190,000.
In a statement issued by the Governor’s Office on Wednesday announcing the appointment, Nibert said he was “honored” to be chosen.
“The PRC plays a crucial role in ensuring we meet the renewable energy targets set forth in statute for the betterment of our state,” he said. “I look forward to securing New Mexico’s energy future for generations to come.”
