Plug in: County looking at electric vehicle charging stations

Mike Grant, Washington Times-Herald, Ind.
·2 min read

Sep. 30—Daviess County is on the proposed grid for electric vehicle charging stations. The Federal Highway Administration has approved a plan for expanding the electric vehicle grid in Indiana. The map for the electric vehicle infrastructure plan shows one potential charging station along I-69 in Daviess County at Washington and one other just north of Daviess County at the Crane exit.

"I think it is positive," said Daviess County Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Bryant Niehoff. "That is the direction the world and our nation is heading in, in terms of fossil fuels and renewable energy, and battery technology and the increasing adoption of electric vehicles. It is some infrastructure that is going to need to be in place."

The FHA approval clears the way to use federal funds to build the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program to construct a statewide electric vehicle charging network. That money opens the way for a $100 million private-public partnership to make fast, reliable electric vehicle charging infrastructure available throughout the state.

"A robust network of convenient, reliable charging infrastructure is essential to addressing range anxiety for electric vehicle owners," INDOT Commissioner Mike Smith said. "Through the NEVI program, Indiana will work with private and public partners to make strategic investments in charging infrastructure along our highways to support the growing number of EV's traveling throughout our state."

The EV charging stations are set along Indiana's interstates. They will provide an alternative fuel corridor that will provide fast charging stations with four ports that can simultaneously charge at 150 kilowatts. The stations will be located at least with one mile of the interstate and no more than 50 miles from another charging site and be accessible 24 hours a day. With at least one proposed for the Washington exit that will provide the community more opportunities.

"That is a fuel source. Any opportunity for people to get off the road and find our communities is a very positive thing," said Niehoff.

Once it is completed state officials say every Hoosier will be within 40 miles of a EV charging station.

NEVI funds will provide 80% of the funding for construction of the charging sites and five years of operations and maintenance. The remaining 20 percent will fall on the owner-operators of the sites. The state will be taking proposals for potential owner-operators next year with the installations opening in 2024.

"That's phenomenal for Daviess County. It's great to see us included on the map there and give folks the opportunity to plug in when they are headed to our community or passing by," said Niehoff.