RMP opens EV 'corridor' charging stations

Rocky Mountain Power has opened Utah’s newest electric vehicle charging stations that will be part of a regional electric corridor in Utah, Wyoming and Idaho. The chargers at the company’s Salt Lake City office are open to visitors and Rocky Mountain Power employees for charging electric vehicles. The company also announced a $1,250 incentive for its employees to purchase or lease a new or used electric vehicle.

“Our goal is to create an electric corridor that will enable our customers and the public to travel up and down our state and from Yellowstone Park to Disneyland,” said Gary Hoogeveen, Rocky Mountain Power senior vice president and chief commercial officer. “We are also excited to offer an incentive to our employees to buy or lease an electrical vehicle and encourage other companies to do the same.”

Implementation of the electric vehicle charging infrastructure is part of the WestSmart EV (electric vehicle) Project, a grant awarded to Rocky Mountain Power by the Department of Energy to further electric vehicle charging infrastructure. The grant will develop 1,500 miles of electric highway corridors along I-15, I-80, I-70 and I-84. Additional funding to support EVs will be provided by the Sustainable Transportation and Energy Plan (STEP), which was created by the Utah legislature to provide innovative ways to help support the environment.

“This is the most exciting time ever to be involved with transportation,” said Tammie Cooper, Utah Clean Cities executive director. “Technology is running full force with our desire to drive cleaner cars and certainly to breathe the cleanest air possible.”

“We like to help kids connect the dots between basic science and good citizenship,” said Deborah Burney-Sigman, Breathe Utah executive director. “Learning why air pollution is such a problem in our area, how it affects our hearts and lungs and that solutions like electric vehicles are really important.”

Rocky Mountain Power also introduced the newest addition to its vehicle fleet — a plug-in hybrid bucket truck capable of using both electricity and gasoline. The vehicle will help improve local air quality by reducing idling when in the urban areas but is also available for use in remote service areas where there is no charging capability.

“This is an exciting time and we are eager to find more innovative ways to protect the environment and help improve air quality,” said Hoogeveen.

The three Level 2 chargers and 1 fast charger can provide electricity for up to 7 vehicles, Rocky Mountain said in a release. The chargers are located at the Rocky Mountain Power offices at 1407 W. North Temple in Salt Lake City.