Rocky Mountain Power receives DOE grant to build electric highway corridors
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) awarded a $4 million grant to Rocky Mountain Power to develop electric corridors along highways in Utah, Wyoming and Idaho.
The grant will also be used to develop programs that encourage electric car sharing and the use of electric bikes and buses.
The grant aims to double the number of electric vehicles (EVs) in the region to over 50,000 in the next ten years, which would reduce CO2 emissions by 251 million pounds and eliminate the use of 24.9 million gallons of gasoline.
“Our goal is to have enough charging stations to help electric vehicles go from Disneyland to Yellowstone and everywhere in between,” Rocky Mountain Power President and CEO Cindy A. Crane said. “This initiative makes Utah a leader in the nation for electric transportation.”
The grant will be used to install DC fast chargers every 100 miles along the corridors on I-15, I-80, I-70 and I-84 and place AC level 2 chargers in all major communities in the area.
It will also be used to create incentives for employers to install charging stations at their businesses, help businesses purchase 200 EVs and 13,800 rental EVs, evaluate the impact of the charging stations on the electric grid and build community partnerships to help meet long-term transportation goals.
