Potomac Edison, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp., is now offering a limited number of utility-owned electric vehicle charging stations with no-cost for installation at multifamily properties in its Maryland service area. The company received approval earlier this year from the Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) to move forward with the new offering as part of EV Driven, the company's five-year PSC-approved pilot program designed to benefit the state's environment by reducing auto emissions and supporting Maryland's goal to reach 300,000 zero-emission vehicles on the road by 2025.
Potomac Edison is offering up to seven Level 2 electric vehicle charging stations that it will install, own and maintain at participating multifamily properties. Level 2 charging stations can accommodate two vehicles for simultaneous charging and deliver 8 to 24 miles of range per hour of charging. Property owners will not be responsible for installation or maintenance costs but will need to agree to an easement so Potomac Edison can install the stations and have access for ongoing maintenance.
"Multifamily residents are increasingly seeking electric vehicle charging stations where they live, and this utility-owned option will allow property owners to easily deliver an attractive new amenity that will help set their communities apart," said Linda Moss, president of FirstEnergy's Maryland operations.
Once operational, the charging rate for the stations will be the same as Potomac Edison's public EV charging stations. The current rate is US$ 0.21 per kilowatt-hour.
In addition to the utility-owned stations, US$ 20,000 rebates are available to multifamily property owners in Potomac Edison's service territory who choose to install and own charging stations themselves. The limited number of utility-owned charging stations and rebates for private multifamily property owners are available until the EV Driven program concludes at the end of 2023. Potomac Edison recently issued a US$ 20,000 rebate toward the installation of six charging stations at the 80-unit Clarksburg Condominium II community in Clarksburg, Maryland.
Residential customers of Potomac Edison in Maryland are eligible for rebates of US$ 300 for the installation of EV charging stations at their homes and can also earn additional rewards for using their chargers during off-peak hours. Earlier this year, the residential rebate and off-peak rewards program was expanded to include Teslas, which account for most electric vehicles sold in the U.S.
Potomac Edison is also installing 59 charging stations, including 20 fast-charging stations, across its seven-county Maryland territory throughout the course of the EV Driven program.
