RIPTA Partners with National Grid to Install
Public Electric Vehicle Charging Station
at RIPTA Headquarters
Station is Located in Customer Parking Lot on Elmwood Avenue And Is Available During Business Hours
Providence, Rhode Island, September 28, 2020 – The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) announced that thanks to a partnership with National Grid, it has installed a public charging station for electric automobiles in its customer parking lot at RIPTA headquarters, 705 Elmwood Avenue in Providence. Scott Avedisian, RIPTA’s Chief Executive Officer, said that installing the charging station is a good fit for the transit authority, which is committed to helping people reduce vehicle emissions – either by taking the bus, ridesharing or other measures. The Level 2 charger is available to the public Monday through Friday from 7am to 5pm with a charging rate of 99 cents per hour.
“RIPTA is committed to following the state’s lead and is investing in green infrastructure wherever possible,” Avedisian said. “We are always looking at ways to use cleaner energy and help the environment. We are aware of the state’s efforts to make it easier for people to use electric vehicles by having more publicly accessible charging stations throughout Rhode Island and this project with National Grid was a way to support that endeavor.”
“This new charging station is an exciting step in our efforts to make clean transportation more convenient for Rhode Islanders,” said Governor Gina M. Raimondo. “It’s critical that we reduce our carbon emissions to ensure a greener future for the coming generations.”
The charging station at the RIPTA lot was manufactured by ChargePoint and can accommodate two vehicles at a time. National Grid contributed approximately $31,000, covering about half the equipment cost and most of the installation. RIPTA paid about $13,400 and included some infrastructure work to support the charger as well as compatible software. As a Level 2 charger, the two-vehicle unit draws on 240-volt power and is able to deliver a charge of about 25 miles of Range Per Hour (RPH.) The new charging station is listed on Google maps and on the ChargePoint Charging Station online map.
“National Grid is pleased to support RIPTA’s new EV charging station,” said Terry Sobolewski, President of National Grid Rhode Island. “It’s a benefit for the community that the EV charging station will be made available to the public and visitors to RIPTA. National Grid is committed to helping Rhode Island meet its greenhouse goals and we are committed to expanding the EV charging infrastructure throughout the state.”
Started in 2007, ChargePoint is headquartered in Campbell, CA. The company states on its website that it has created the world’s largest and most open electric vehicle (EV) charging network with approximately 108,700 charging stations around the globe. It estimates that someone plugs into the ChargePoint network every two seconds.
Earlier this month, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) announced a pilot program that will make free electric vehicle charging stations available at two Park & Ride commuter lots through the end of the year. The pilot program is being run in conjunction with the state's Office of Energy Resources and National Grid and is intended to reduce barriers to charging station accessibility. The chargers are available at the Park & Ride lots on Route 117 in Warwick and Route 3 in Hopkinton.
For information on RIPTA services, passengers may call (401) 781-9400 or visit ripta.com.
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