Curry submits applications for electric car charging stations

Curry County submitted two applications to Xcel Energy this month to host public electric car charging stations.

Xcel Energy is in the process of selecting four sites with two charging stations at each location, said Mike McLeod, regional manager of community relations for Xcel Energy, in an interview on Monday.

County Manager Lance Pyle said the two locations they are submitting for approval are: The Honorable Judge Reuben E. Nieves Courtyard located on Main Street (between 8th and 9th Street) and the new parking lot on the corner of 7th and Mitchell streets.

“Both of these locations are county maintained parking lots and service the downtown area that are within walking distance of the Courthouse, Library, restaurants and retail,” Pyle said in an email. “When the County constructed the Honorable Judge Reuben E. Nieves Courtyard, it was our goal and we planned to install EV Charging Station, but based on the funding allocated we had to remove them from the project.

“If we are awarded, this is a great opportunity and win-win for the County, public and Xcel; Xcel Energy will install and maintain and will be no cost to the County.”

McLeod, regional manager of the community relations for Xcel Energy, said Xcel Energy plans to install and have operational eight public EV fast charging stations in its Southeast New Mexico service area by the end of the third quarter of 2023 or beginning of the fourth quarter.

The electric provider has not decided on the specific locations yet, he said, but Clovis, Portales, Roswell, Hobbs and Carlsbad are under consideration. “We’re evaluating site hosts and partnerships,” looking for locations near highways, with high visibility and high traffic volume, near amenities so car owners can get lunch or shop while their vehicles are charging.

“This is the first phase of what we think will be more installations in the future,” he said. The eight stations are part of the company’s Transportation Electrification Plan it submitted to the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission in 2021, which has been approved.

Xcel Energy hopes to makes decisions about the locations sometime in January, start the design work and install the equipment in the second quarter.

“We believe there is a strong future in electric vehicles across all service areas and we want to be part of the solutions, especially for the vehicles just passing through,” he said. “We see electric vehicles as a growing segment of the auto industry and we want to provide electric service” to those (vehicle) customers as well as to home and business owners.

Xcel Energy is offering some rebates for customers at home to upgrade to a level 2 charger, which has a higher level of voltage, he said.

“Our New Mexico customers spend a lot of time behind the wheel and a large share of their income goes to buying fuel because of the long distances they have to drive,” said David Hudson, president, Xcel Energy – New Mexico in a press release. “Xcel Energy is now making it easier for customers to power their rides with electricity and trim a significant amount of money from their transportation budgets.” Improved EV batteries have extended a fully charged EV’s range from 150 to 300 miles, according to energy.gov. Xcel Energy’s programs are designed to make the transition to EVs easier by offsetting upfront costs for charging equipment, infrastructure upgrades and developing public charging facilities so drivers can reliably and affordably traverse New Mexico’s wide-open spaces.”

McLeod said they estimate charging a vehicle will cost the equivalent of $1 per gallon of gasoline.

Rebate offers are available to customers as stated in the release: “Home Wiring and Charger Rebates allow customers who install a dedicated electrical circuit to support Level 2 charging to receive a rebate of up to $500 to cover the costs of permitting, materials,

installation and electrical work needed to install the circuit.

Costs for purchasing an eligible Level 2 charger can also be included. Customers who meet certain income guidelines can qualify for an enhanced rebate of $2,500. Customers in Xcel Energy’s EV Accelerate At Home program can have Xcel Energy electricians provide a bid for any home wiring work to upgrade to a dedicated circuit needed for a Level 2 charger and apply rebate savings instantly.”

For more information, visit xcelenergy.com.