Governor Kathy Hochul announced that the State Public Service Commission approved New York's investor-owned utilities electric vehicle active and passive-managed charging programs.
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PSC decision is an integral part of the initiative known as the EV Make-Ready program which directed the utilities to develop managed charging programs that will provide customers with an alternative to the whole home Time-of-Use rates that are already in place.
Managed charging programs and TOU rates incentivize charging at the most beneficial times for the grid, which has the potential to extend the estimated societal benefits of EV deployments to more than $5 billion through 2030.
The EV Make-Ready program provides funding for the infrastructure required to support more than 50,000 new public and commercial Level 2 charging ports, capable of charging a vehicle at least two times faster than a standard wall outlet, and 1,500 public DC (direct current) fast charger ports in New York in recognition of the essential role that public fast charging ports will play in the near term to allay range anxiety.
Before the program began, there were 4,571 publicly accessible chargers statewide.
This program will increase the number of publicly accessible chargers in New York State more than tenfold.
The EV Make-Ready program is funded by major investor-owned utilities in New York State and creates a cost-sharing program that incentivizes utilities and charging port developers to site electric vehicle charging infrastructure in places that will provide a maximal benefit to consumers.
The Commission capped the total budget at $701 million and it will run through 2025, with a minimum of $206 million allocated toward equitable access and benefits for lower-socio-economic and disadvantaged communities.
EV charging ports in disadvantaged communities are eligible for a higher incentive, supporting up to 100 percent of the costs to make a site ready for EV charging. ■
A very strong low pressure system currently just offshore of San Francisco Bay will continue to bring high winds, heavy rain, and heavy mountain snow for California and adjacent areas of the Southwest through tonight and Wednesday as the latest in a series of atmospheric rivers impacts the West.