Pennsylvania will be able to improve or replace as many as 50 privately owned electric vehicle charging stations under a $5 million federal grant announced Thursday.
The state’s grant was among 24 worth about $150 million that were awarded to 20 states by the Federal Highway Administration. They are part of the $7.5 billion the Biden administration set aside under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program that has a goal of installing 500,000 charging stations by 2030.
In Pennsylvania, the money will be used to upgrade 20 to 50 charging stations across the state, said Alexis Campbell, spokeswoman for the state Department of Transportation. Owners of 174 private charging sites with 293 ports will be able to apply for funds to upgrade their location.
The money can be used to replace existing chargers or update them to meet new standards, the FHWA said.
“Charging your electric vehicle should be as easy and convenient as filling up a gas tank – and these grants will help do that by making our EV charging network more reliable,” Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt said in a news release. “We’re building a bigger and better EV charging network to keep up with driver demand, and we’re also ensuring the existing network works when you need a charge.”
Refurbishing or replacing old chargers is part of the Biden administration’s effort to cut pollution and create jobs by increasing the sale of electric vehicles to half of new car sales by 2030.
Under the program, Pennsylvania will receive $171.5 million over five years to install about 150 new stations with charging points at least every 50 miles in designated travel corridors. The state awarded contracts for the first 54 stations at a cost of $33.8 million last August.
Ed covers transportation at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at eblazina@unionprogress.com.