The Alaska Energy Authority has awarded nearly $1 million in grants to support installing 12 Direct Current Fast Chargers (DCFC) and 11 Level 2 (L2) electric vehicle chargers at nine locations across Alaska. These sites, located less than 100 miles apart along the state’s highway system, is designed to help develop Alaska’s EV charging infrastructure which is seen as critical to encouraging further EV adoption. The successful applicants are contributing an additional $500,000 in matching funds for a total of approximately $1.5 million in EV charging infrastructure with the goal to have the corridor fully operational by summer 2022.
Multiple communities across the Kenai Peninsula received the awards from the Alaska Energy Authority:
- Seward Chamber of Commerce – 1 DCFC and 1 L2 – $109,000
- AJ’s Old Town Steakhouse and Tavern in Homer – 1 DCFC and 1 L2 – $110,000
- Custom Seafoods in Soldotna – 1 DCFC and 1 L2 – $110,000
- Grizzly Ridge Lodge in Cooper Landing – 1 DCFC and 1 L2 – $110,000
The other locations include the Dimond Center in Anchorage, the Jack River Inn in Cantwell and multiple Three Bears Alaska locations in Chugiak, Trapper Creek and Healy.
AEA Executive Director Curtis W. Thayer:
“These grants demonstrate AEA’s commitment to deploy EV chargers across the state and facilitate EV adoption among Alaska drivers. This is a major step toward an electrified transportation future in Alaska. EVs and their charging infrastructure can bring new industries to Alaska, and help promote our economy and save Alaskan’s money.”
Alaska Energy Authority received and reviewed 24 applications. Funding for the grants comes from Alaska’s portion of the Volkswagen Mitigation Trust Fund and the United States Department of Energy’s State Energy Program. Public and private entities were eligible to apply for the grants, which provided for partial funding for EV charging stations, up to $110,000 per site. AEA awarded a total of approximately $960,000 to the successful applicants. The granted amount does not include the applicant’s matching funds.
