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Charging up: Prineville sees an increase in EV charging stations around the area, with the help of grants

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(Update: Adding video, comments from Pacific Power, COCC, county commissioner, fairgrounds staff)

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The city of Prineville is seeing an increase in EV chargers, with several grant-funded charging stations popping up around town over the past few years.

"Over the last three years, they (Prineville locations) have been recipient of four e-mobility grants," Kate Hawley, Pacific Power's manager of electric mobility programs, said. "So around $560,000."

The e-mobility grants, from Pacific Power and the State's Clean Fuels Program, have funded 8 new public charging stations, with 16 ports for drivers. 

At COCC's Prineville campus, the grants have funded two new public charging stations, along with three used EVs shared by staff, faculty and automotive students. 

COCC Sustainability Coordinator Noelle Copley said, "This has helped us achieve more of our climate action planning, making this available to students, to staff and faculty, to the general public. We'll be looking for ways that we can keep growing and electrifying our own fleet."

There are also charging stations at the Crook County Justice Center.

Crook County Commissioner Brian Barney said, "We're seeing more and more electric cars, and people are needing ways to charge them and, people doing it while they're also at work an just passing through. So this gives option for the community to have a system that's able to charge their cars."

 The Crook County Fairgrounds received EV charging stations, along with an electric tractor to demonstrate the benefits to local farmers and ranchers. 

Crook County Fairgrounds manager Casey Daly said, "Our chargers are used constantly. It's a constant, with the amount of electric cars that are coming into town and the folks that are buying them that are here in town. So, there's a lot of use out of all of that."

Pacific Power is urging potential charging station providers to apply for the next round of the e-mobility grant program that will open in March.

Article Topic Follows: Environment

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Kelsey McGee

Kelsey McGee is a multimedia journalist for NewsChannel 21. Learn more about Kelsey here.

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