Lazaro Aleman
ECB Publishing, Inc.
City officials are exploring the possibility of providing downtown charging stations for electric vehicles (Evs), both as a convenience to drivers of such cars and an economic activity booster.
Councilman Troy Avera proposed the idea at the City Council meeting on Tuesday evening, May 12. A proceeding that, incidentally, was conducted via telephonic conference.
“I became aware about three months ago that Duke Energy will install charging stations inside cities for electric vehicles for free,” Avera said, referring to the company's Park and Plug Pilot Program, which runs through December 2022.
Per Duke Energy, qualified site hosts provide the locations and the utility company provides the chargers. Duke Enegy's motives are not entirely altruistic, however. The company is using the program to gain insights “on the impacts of electric vehicle charging infrastructure, i.e., impacts to our power grid.”
Avera noted that the number of electric vehicles on roads was rapidly increasing, a trend that he said was likely to continue, an assessment that Duke Energy confirms. Avera proposed having one charging station installed on the corner of Dogwood and Cherry streets, and a second at the city's public parking lot on Dogwood and Mulberry streets.
“We would only be responsible for the electricity used,” Avera said.
He said the city could provide the service free to the motorists or let the latter pay for the service, which is what other cities were doing and what he preferred to see happen. The way the program would work, he said, was that Duke Energy would install and maintain the stations, and it would also collect the money and credit it to the city.
“It would be a wash for us,” Avera said.
City Attorney Bruce Leinback agreed and endorsed the idea.
He noted that Apalachicola and Perry already had the charging stations, which he said cost about $10 to $15 monthly in electric bills. He further noted that Evs. motorists often consulted a guidebook that informed them of the locations of such stations as they traveled. Such folks, he said, were more apt to visit communities that provided the service.
And once here, Leinback suggested, such motorists might well decide to dine in town, browse the shops and maybe even stay overnight, contributing to the city's economic vitality.
“It might be a drawing card for people who otherwise might not come here,” Leinback said.
The county, he added, had already requested that Duke Energy install one or two charging stations in the public parking lot adjacent the courthouse circle.
Councilwoman Julie Conley expressed enthusiasm for the idea. As did Councilman George Evans, if with a slight reservation. Evans wondered if Duke Energy might not make a presentation on the program to the entire council. He also questioned the wisdom of installing a station on the city's public parking lot, given that the city leased the property. What would happen to the station if the lease ever ceased? he asked.
In the end, however, the council voted unanimously to pursue the idea, with the stipulation that Leinback review the parking lot lease contract to ensure that the agreement allowed for the placement of such an installation and what would happen in the event the lease ceased.
Per Duke Energy's program literature, site hosts have the opportunity to:
• Enhance the visibility of their sustainability efforts;
• Provide added benefits to tenants, employees and visitors who drive Evs.;
•Attract new, socially conscious customers who are Evs. drivers;
• Promote the adoption of clean transportation and clean energy.
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