CONTACT: Nicole Goines, PIO, (202) 536-7666, [email protected]
Station will be available 24/7 and have higher charging capacity.
WASHINGTON, DC, August 22, 2024 – The Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) announced that it has started work to repair and upgrade an inoperable electric vehicle (EV) charging station in Ward 7 that, when complete, will have higher charging capacity and be available to the public 24/7. This project is funded by a grant that DOEE received from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
The EV charging project, done in partnership with established taxicab operator Transco Inc., will replace an out-of-service charging station at 3355a Benning Rd NE near I-295. This station will add four high-capacity DC fast charging ports that will more than triple the speed of vehicle charging compared to the previous output.
The Federal Highway Administration’s EV Charger Reliability and Accessibility Accelerator Program awarded approximately $148.8 million in grant funding across 19 states and the District of Columbia. The 24 applicants —14 State Departments of Transportation and 10 local entities—received funding to repair or replace broken or non-operational electric vehicle charging ports to improve the reliability of existing charging infrastructure.
"It’s an honor to celebrate our shared commitment to the Biden-Harris Administration’s climate goals with today’s groundbreaking of the District of Columbia’s EV Charging Station at Benning Road. Later this month, we celebrate the doubling of the number of publicly available EV chargers since the start of the Administration, as evidenced by the great work the nation’s capital has done to bring this station to fruition," said Deputy Federal Highway Administrator Kristin White. "Thanks to funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this project serves as a great example of how our continued investment is ensuring the charger network is reliable and accessible."
To complete this project, DOEE will also be using existing funds allocated by Pepco and approved by the Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia. Pepco’s transportation electrification program will fund the completion of pre-installation electrical work to provide a safe and reliable delivery of electricity to the charging station.
“This is a great step toward the Bowser Administration’s goal of a cleaner, healthier, more sustainable District of Columbia,” said DOEE Director Richard Jackson. “We are proud to be a part of this project and look forward to seeing how the city is positively impacted.”
In addition to being conveniently located off I-295, the project is also adjacent to amenities such as a convenience store, a riverfront park, trails, and a Capital Bikeshare station. By adding new EV charging capacity, the project helps support a goal of the District’s Transportation Electrification Roadmap for 25% of DC-registered vehicles to be EVs by 2030.
“The District of Columbia is committed to becoming carbon neutral and climate resilient by 2045. This discretionary grant from the NEVI Formula Program is critical to help reach that goal by building out a reliable and accessible electric vehicle charging network and accelerating the adoption of EVs,” said Acting DDOT Director Sharon Kershbaum. “Funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will allow the District to continue to meet its climate action goals, and DDOT is fully committed to working with our partner agencies to get these federal investments into our communities.”
For more information on the District’s transportation goals and the Transportation Electrification Roadmap, please visit please Electric Vehicles Resources.