Kit Carson Electric Cooperative CEO Luis Reyes in the field at a Kit Carson facility

Kit Carson Electric Cooperative CEO Luis Reyes in the field at a Kit Carson facility

By Mikayla Ortega 
Questa del Rio News

Wildfires have been ravaging Southern California since Jan. 7, burning thousands of structures and homes and displacing thousands of people. 24 people have died as of Jan. 15, and the death toll is expected to rise. Due to climate change and increased fire risk, insurance agencies across the country have dropped homeowners’ insurance for people living in ‘high risk’ areas leaving many residents to start at ground zero without so much as the shirt on their backs.

Here is our own backyard, the 2022 Calf Canyon fire and Hermits Peak Fire will go down as the largest, most destructive fire in New Mexico history, burning 341,471 acres across San Miguel, Mora and Taos counties. 899 structures were destroyed and an additional 84 were damaged. Fortunately, no lives were lost, however, many families and residents navigated this stark new reality with their homes being destroyed, being left to rebuild from nothing.

In our January 2025 issue, we reported that many home-owners received cancellation of insurance policies, while others experienced a steep premium increase due to living in “high fire danger” areas. Insurance agencies are working to respond to the increasingly frequent catastrophic weather events stemming from climate change, unfortunately leaving many uncovered and uninsured when disaster strikes.

In our immediate community, as we work to adapt to climate change, Kit Carson Electric is leading the charge in being a socially responsible steward of electricity as it works to advance the Green Hydrogen Project which will effectively make the power distribution and resiliency green. The Cooperative received $231 million in funding to kick off the project from the U.S. Rural Utilities Service under the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This project is the first of its kind in the country, showcasing how the Cooperative will reduce its carbon emissions to minimize the effects of climate change.

In response to this funding announcement, Questa local and Kit Carson Cooperative Board Member Bobby Ortega said in a press release on Monday (Jan. 13), “This USDA RUS announcement awarding KCEC $231 million in funding is among the most significant milestones in the coop’s history. This financial award will bring to fruition the first green hydrogen project of this type done by an electric cooperative in the nation,” he said. “The KCEC Board and CEO have an innovative vision for the coop’s future while delivering affordable, reliable clean energy to our members today and well into the future. This New ERA funded project not only allows us to achieve this but also will bring the economic opportunities needed in the Village of Questa, NM and surrounding communities.”

While some Questa residents were opposed to the project’s development in the Questa area due to unknown potential dangers and concerns of explosion of hydrogen production, Kit Carson CEO Luis Reyes provided an example of the potential risk and danger in an interview with our publication in our November issue. “Hydrogen is gas. When you drive a car, you’re sitting on a tank of gas which is much closer to you and by the same logic, poses the same danger for explosion– which as we’ve seen is very low,” Reyes said. In addition, Reyes says his team has been working to ensure the project will be in established buildings and facilities left from the former Questa Molycorp Mine to minimize the footprint the project will have on the forested environment in the Questa area.

“We are thrilled and extend our gratitude to the USDA for granting this opportunity to our rural electric cooperative in northern New Mexico,” Kit Carson CEO Luis Reyes said. “This will be a game-changer for KCEC, ensuring a reliable power supply even during challenging conditions, and allowing first responders and the community to access life-saving power during emergencies such as wildfires or extreme natural disasters.”

The project is expected to produce 350 local jobs during the construction phase and the total tax revenue impact is expected to exceed $44 million over the next five years.Mikayla Ortega
Editor, Questa del Rio News