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OPD5 Partners With State For New I-15 EV Charging Stations

By VERNON ROBISON

Moapa Valley Progress

Keith Buchhalter (left) and Randall Ozaki (right) of OPD5 demonstrate how to charge an electric vehicle at the new charging station at the Glendale AMPM. PHOTO BY VERNON ROBISON/Moapa Valley Progress.

The AMPM store at Glendale, Nevada has something entirely new that promises to attract a whole different demographic to stop in the Moapa community. In cooperation with the Nevada Governor’s Office of Energy and Overton Power District #5 (OPD5), the local fuel station now offers two brand new charging stations for electric vehicles.

The charging stations, located behind the store on the north side of the building, were installed last fall by OPD5 and were entirely funded by state grant money. The facilities are part of the Nevada Electric Highway Project put in place by former Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval using Nevada’s allotment of the major 2016 Volkswagen legal settlement over violations of the federal Clean Air Act.

“Each state got a share of those funds,” explained OPD5 Engineering Manager Randall Ozaki. “This program is what Nevada decided to do with its share.”

Ozaki said that, some time ago, he had attended a webinar released by the Governor’s Office of Energy providing details about the Electric Highway project. He learned that the I-15 corridor had been targeted as a high priority for the program. The state was looking for utilities to partner with for the project.
“We were encouraged by what they presented, so we applied for the grant,” Ozaki said.

The district was awarded $150,000 to install five different EV charging units in two different locations within its territory. Two of the units went to Glendale. The other three were installed at the Eagle’s Landing Travel Center in Mesquite.

The grant paid 100 percent of the cost for the charging station equipment, electrical system upgrades, infrastructure updates on site and all necessary manpower. Ozaki said that the district contracted some of the necessary work out to local contractors.

Last week the Progress caught up with Ozaki and OPD5 Public Affairs Specialist Keith Buchhalter at the new Glendale charging station. Buchhalter had brought a Nissan Leaf electric car, owned by OPD5, in order to demonstrate how easy the charging station is to use.

“It is a very simple process,” Buchhalter said. “It is really no more difficult than filling your tank with gasoline.”

Buchhalter used an app on his cell phone to activate the station and pay for the service. Then he plugged the charging station cable into the terminal at the front of the vehicle. With the touch of a button, the charging began.

The car only needed about 30 percent of its capacity to be re-charged when it arrived at the station. That was completed within about 15 minutes costing a grand total of $4.58.

Buchhalter, who also has an electric vehicle of his own at home, said that it is even cheaper to charge the cars at home.He reported that his well-used vehicle adds a total of about $20 per month to his household electric bill.

The OPD5 jumped at the chance to be part of the Electric Highway Project because of the economic development it promised to bring to the communities, Buchhalter said.

The apps used to pay at electric charging stations also include a locator that lets drivers know exactly where the next recharging station is on the road ahead, Buchhalter explained. “This will put places like Glendale on the map for these people, and that’s good for business in a small town,” he said.

“So we were happy to be the ‘electric vehicle’ for that kind of growth!” Buchhalter said with a chuckle.
The completion of the new charging stations in Glendale and Mesquite have formed the final link in making I-15 Nevada’s very first federally-designated Electric Vehicle Corridor.

This momentous landmark will be celebrated next week with a grand ribbon cutting event to be held on January 29 at 9:30 am at Eagle’s Landing Travel Center at 1057 Lower Flat Top Drive in Mesquite. Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak will be in attendance at the event as well as many other state and local officials.

The public is invited to attend the event. RSVP is required to attend by sending a request to www.MesquiteNVChamber.com.

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