Visitors to Sand Harbor State Park at Lake Tahoe and Red Rock Canyon in Las Vegas would be able to recharge their electric vehicles at the iconic destinations as part of a transportation electrification plan proposed by NV Energy.
The $100 million plan also includes EV chargers at Nevada ski resorts, casinos, sports complexes and convention centers. NV Energy filed the plan this month with the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada (PUCN).
The plan would bring about 1,822 EV chargers to 120 sites throughout Nevada. Some of the sites are geared toward tourists while others are aimed at underserved communities.
In addition to providing infrastructure for cars, the plan would add charging for electric bikes, boats, and transit-agency and school buses.
The three-year plan would begin on Jan. 1, 2022. PUCN has scheduled a prehearing conference on Oct. 6.
The proposal, called the Economic Recovery Transportation Electrification Plan, is a requirement of Senate Bill 448 from the state legislature’s 2021 session. The plan’s objectives are to accelerate transportation electrification while creating new jobs and boosting the state’s economy.
“The required programs remove barriers to electric vehicle adoption, increase access to chargers in historically underserved communities and develop a network of electric vehicle infrastructure across Nevada’s tourism and outdoor recreation economy,” NV Energy said in its proposal.
The plan builds on NV Energy’s existing transportation electrification incentive programs, the utility said. It also lays the groundwork for a longer-range transportation electrification plan from NV Energy that is due by Sept. 1, 2022, another mandate of SB448.
Five-pronged Proposal
NV Energy describes its plan as a “strategic network of public charging.” As required by SB448, the plan includes five components:
- interstate corridor charging depot program;
- urban charging depot program;
- public agency EV charging program;
- transit, school bus and transportation electrification custom program; and
- outdoor recreation and tourism program.
EV charging at Red Rock Canyon and Sand Harbor are included in the $20 million outdoor recreation and tourism program.
At Sand Harbor, the plan envisions 20 level-2 chargers for cars, 10 bike chargers and two DC fast chargers for boats at a nearby Incline Village pier.
Plans for Red Rock Canyon include 10 level-2 chargers, two DC fast chargers and 10 bike chargers. A solar canopy plus battery storage are also being considered for the Red Rock site.
The plan proposes EV charging at a range of other tourism or recreation sites, such as Heavenly, Mt. Rose, Diamond Peak, and Lee Canyon ski areas; Allegiant Stadium and Cashman field in Las Vegas and Greater Nevada Field in Reno; casino-resorts in Las Vegas and Reno; and the Reno-Sparks and Las Vegas convention centers.
Interstate Charging
Another program geared toward tourism is the interstate corridor charging depot program, which would add EV charging stations along interstates 15 and 80 as well as U.S. 95. Motorists use those highways to get to tourist destinations.
The $9.4 million proposal includes five sites, each with two level-2 chargers and six DC fast chargers. Site owners could volunteer to participate, or NV Energy will recruit sites. The site owner would decide whether NV Energy or a third party would own the infrastructure.
For a third-party project, the owner would receive an incentive to cover three-quarters of the project costs, up to $1.2 million per site. An operation incentive of $7,500 per year for five years would also be provided.
The interstate charging program would augment the Nevada Electric Highway program launched in 2015 through the Governor’s Office of Energy in partnership with NV Energy.
While some of NV Energy’s proposed programs focus on tourism, the emphasis of the urban charging depot program would be underserved communities and residents of multi-family housing. The $26 million program would also increase access to EV charging for workers, transportation-network drivers, tourists and the general public.
The program would add an estimated 18 charging sites with a total of 180 charging ports in the Reno and Las Vegas areas.
The plan includes smaller, neighborhood charging sites at locations such as grocery stores and gas stations. Larger charging sites would be built at shopping malls, office parks and downtown locations. Some of the sites would include charging for electric bikes.
Vehicle-to-Grid Pilot
Another proposed program is the transit, school bus and transportation electrification custom program.
The $18 million program would include $6 million in grants to transit agencies for electric bus charging infrastructure. NV Energy would convene a working group to identify high-priority projects.
Another piece of the program is a $10 million pilot project that would provide school districts with electric bus charging infrastructure, complete with vehicle-to-grid capability. The idea is to see whether the electric school buses could send energy to the grid during high-demand periods or serve as a backup power supply for the schools.
NV Energy is envisioning about three school sites for the pilot program.
The final piece of NV Energy’s proposal is a public agency vehicle charging program, which would add EV charging at community centers, colleges and universities, and state agency offices. The $17 million proposal includes about 39 sites with a total of 448 charging ports.
Candidate public agency sites are the Grant Sawyer State Office Building in Las Vegas and the Capitol Complex in Carson City.
Colleges and universities identified for potential participation in the program include University of Nevada’s Reno and Las Vegas campuses, Nevada State College, College of Southern Nevada, Truckee Meadows Community College, Great Basin College, and Western Nevada College.