People travelling to the West Kootenay in their electric vehicles are going to have more options for fast-charging their cars.
Fortis BC plans to install 12 new Direct Current Fast Charge (DCFC) stations to its EV charging network.
Rossland will be getting one of those stations. It will be replacing one of the aging Level Two charge stations now in place off Washington Street, next to the Hospital Auxiliary Thrift Store.
Fast-charging stations are expected to charge a compact electric vehicle in about a half an hour, as compared to a Level-2 station that requires about three to four hours. The BC Utilities Commission-approved charge rate is $9 per half hour.
By working in close collaboration with local communities and all levels of government, FortisBC was able to place these stations at locations that ease charging concerns for both short commutes and longer highway travel.
The stations are also slated for Nelson, Kaslo, New Denver and Nakusp, as well as in communities along Highway 3 between the Kootenays and Kelowna.
“Making the switch to electric vehicles is part of our government’s CleanBC plan to cut climate pollution, boost the economy, and create opportunities for communities across the province,”said Michelle Mungall, Minister Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources. “This new series of electric vehicle chargers in B.C’s interior will strengthen our existing charging network and make it easier to charge up.”
These fast chargers were 50 per cent funded by Natural Resources Canada and 25 per cent by B.C. Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources as part of the Electric Vehicle and Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Deployment Initiative. FortisBC funded the remaining amount and will own and maintain the stations.
For more information about the FortisBC electric vehicle charging network, visit www.fortisbc.com/electricvehicle.
