Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) today announced that two new federally-funded Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations have opened to the public, built using funds from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program, part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The new stations – along I-81 in Lebanon County and I-79 in Butler County – bring the total number of stations developed in Pennsylvania as part of the NEVI program to five.
Since the first NEVI-funded station opened in PA, the charging stations have delivered more than 4,300 charging sessions, powering over 525,000 miles driven. These openings help further the Shapiro Administration's work to address climate change, grow the Commonwealth's economy and ensure that Pennsylvania is ready for the next generation of transportation, one that will be cleaner, safer, more affordable, and more reliable than ever before. Pennsylvania is one of the first states in the country to reach this milestone.
“Pennsylvania is strengthening the network of EV chargers and improving reliability for drivers with every new station,” said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. "Under the leadership of Governor Shapiro, we’re making a clean and reliable transportation future possible for Pennsylvania travelers."
The new charging stations have opened at the following locations:
- Jonestown, PA on I-81 in Union Township supporting four ports.
- Slippery Rock, PA on I-79 in Worth Township supporting four ports.
“Love’s is committed to providing EV drivers with safe clean spaces, friendly faces and many amenities we’re known for,” said Kim Okafor, Love’s general manager of zero-emissions. “We are grateful for the support from PennDOT in the commonwealth of building out an EV charging network for Pennsylvania travelers.”
These stations represent an investment of $1,324,080 in federal NEVI funding, and each port will be capable of providing at least 300 kW of power. While charging under weather-protective canopies, customers will have access to site amenities including quick service restaurants, Wi-Fi, fresh food and beverage options, Mobile-to-Go Zone with the latest technologies, clean restrooms and dog parks.
NEVI funding supports the Commonwealth and federal goal of expanding EV charging along the previously designated Alternative Fuel Corridors (AFCs) (see a map of AFCs here). Pennsylvania has over 1,800 miles of AFCs. Per guidance from U.S. DOT, NEVI formula funds must first be used to "build out" designated AFCs (meaning there must be no more than 50 miles between stations and less than 1 mile from an AFC exit) and meet U.S. DOT minimum standards and requirements.
The PA NEVI program includes multiple rounds of funding. During Round 1, of which these stations were awarded, the focus was on building out the AFC network along the interstates to meet the NEVI requirements. PennDOT has since announced awards for Round 1A and Round 1B of NEVI funding which were designed to fill the remaining gaps along the AFC network. A list of all NEVI awards is available on PennDOT's website. Once AFCs are fully built out, PennDOT will shift to expanding EV chargers for Pennsylvania's community charging infrastructure.
National data on the status of the NEVI program by state is available at https://evstates.org/awards-dashboard/.
Pennsylvania can compete for billions of dollars in federal funds across a wide range of federal grant programs through the BIL, also known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). To help communities and organizations learn about these opportunities, PennDOT created a web page, www.penndot.pa.gov/IIJA, with details on federal grant opportunities to help municipalities, townships, and other community agencies with understanding the multiple transportation program grants that are available. The page includes Grant Alerts, guides, and links to important resources for local municipalities and organizations interested in pursuing federal funding opportunities.
Information about state infrastructure in Pennsylvania, including completed work and significant projects, is available at www.penndot.pa.gov/results. Find PennDOT's planned and active construction projects at www.projects.penndot.gov.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Zachary Appleby, zappleby@pa.gov or 717-783-8800
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