Potomac Edison, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp., will begin installing Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations in Maryland later this year and offer rebates for both residential and non-residential charger installations. This is part of a pilot program recently approved by the Maryland Public Service Commission to benefit the state's environment by reducing auto emissions.
Over the course of the five-year pilot program, Potomac Edison will install more than 50 charging stations, including nine "fast charging" stations, at locations across its Maryland service territory. In addition, residential customers of Potomac Edison in Maryland will be eligible for rebates of up to US$300 for the installation of EV charging stations at their home. Rebates will also be available for charging stations at multi-family properties.
"We're excited about the opportunity to support Maryland's efforts toward electric vehicle adoption and expand the charging station network, which is an important step toward a cleaner, healthier environment," said James Sears, president of Maryland operations for Potomac Edison. "Our expertise at building electrical infrastructure will help position Maryland as a leader in EV technology. We look forward to partnering with state officials to ensure our EV charging station program produces long-term benefits as we continue providing safe, reliable and affordable service to our customers."
The charging station pilot program was approved by the Maryland Public Service Commission in January and includes additional EV charging station installations from other Maryland utilities to support a state-wide effort toward reaching 300,000 zero-emission vehicles on the road by 2025. The pilot is intended to help Maryland utilities evaluate the benefits of EV charging deployment while remaining cost-effective for customers.
Electric vehicles offer a clean, efficient alternative to gasoline-powered vehicles, averaging as low as one-third the cost-per-mile of gasoline. Depending on the battery capacity, EV driving range can vary from about 80 miles up to 280 miles. The installation of public charging stations through the pilot program will help reduce "range anxiety" for EV owners, as well as provide key data to help determine future implementation efforts throughout Maryland and other areas served by FirstEnergy's utilities. Potomac Edison will file an EV charging station pilot program implementation plan with the Maryland Commission in the coming months.
