Minnesota Power announced today (10/17) that it will install four electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, each supported by a 5-kilowatt solar installation, in the region where the company provides electricity.
The charging stations will be located in Ely, Virginia, Two Harbors and Motley. Construction began this month on the Ely charging station and crews will move south to the other charging stations, with all expected to be complete by the end of the year. The four charging stations are part of Minnesota Power's plan to build a charging network in northeastern Minnesota to provide more charging options for motorists.
"Investing in electric vehicle charging stations across our service territory is a way to help foster and grow this new technology and build the infrastructure to meet the changing energy needs of our customers," said Frank Frederickson, Minnesota Power vice president of Marketing. "Driving an EV is a fun and increasingly practical way we can lower society's carbon footprint and promote environmental stewardship."
Here are the details for each station:
- Ely: Two Level 2 EV charging stations, each capable of charging one car at a time, will be installed at the Ely Public Library and will be available for free public use. The installation includes a 5-kilowatt or larger solar array on the library roof.
- Virginia: Two EV charging ports will be installed near Veterans Memorial Park, one 50-kilowatt DC fast charger and one Level 2 charging station, both of which will charge one vehicle at a time and will require payment for vehicle charging. A 5-kilowatt solar array will be built next to the charging stations.
- Two Harbors: Two Level 2 EV charging stations, each capable of charging one car at a time, will be installed at the City Hall parking lot and will be available for free public use. The installation includes a 5-kilowatt solar array on City Hall.
- Motley: Two EV charging ports will be installed at the Bricks Travel Center at the corner of Minnesota Highway 210 and U.S. Highway 10, one 50-kilowatt DC fast charger and one Level 2 station. Both will require payment for vehicle charging. A 5-kilowatt solar array will be built next to the charging stations.
The solar panels for the associated solar arrays will be locally sourced, manufactured in Mountain Iron by Heliene, a company based in Ontario that is now operating the Iron Range production facility.
Minnesota Power has contracted with Hunt Electric to construct the charging stations. All of the charging stations have operating temperatures down to at least 22 below zero, so they are compatible with the northern Minnesota climate. Electric vehicle use in northern Minnesota is currently low, but more consumers are expected to invest in this innovative and evolving technology as electric vehicle travel ranges have increased to more than 200 miles per charge and charging station availability is increasing.
Under a conservative estimate of two charges per day at each station, it is estimated that the charging stations would help keep about 288,000 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere every year.
Last year, Minnesota Power, Enbridge and Hunt Electric completed a charging station in Duluth's Canal Park with nine chargers, four dual-port charging stations offering eight plug-ins and one DC fast charger. That charging station is supported by a 54-kilowatt solar array that also functions as a canopy for parking spaces below the array. The charging station was donated to the city of Duluth, which operates and maintains the facility.
Minnesota Power provides electric service within a 26,000-square-mile area in northeastern Minnesota, supporting comfort, security and quality of life for 144,000 customers, 16 municipalities and some of the largest industrial customers in the United States. More information can be found at www.mnpower.com.
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