Nebraska Public Power District Joining National Electric Highway Coalition

by Peter Maloney
APPA News
April 1, 2022

Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) has signed a memorandum of cooperation to become a member of the National Electric Highway Coalition (NEHC).

The National Electric Highway Coalition currently consists of more than 60 investor-owned, public power and cooperative electric companies that have committed to providing electric vehicle (EV) fast charging stations along major travel corridors by the end of 2023.

“Our membership in NEHC reaffirms our commitment to support the expansion of the EV charging infrastructure along highways and main thoroughfares across the state,” Tom Kent, NPPD’s president and CEO, said in a statement.

“Most EV owners will charge their vehicles overnight, and that’s very convenient for daily travel, but getting more fast charging stations out in the public along heavily traveled corridors is an important next step to support our customers who are purchasing EVs,” Kent said.

NPPD says it has installed or provided financial assistance for the instillation of several DC fast charging stations in its service territory, including five charging stations installed in Auburn, Aurora, Kearney, Norfolk, and York, as well as eight stations planned in Ainsworth, Chadron, Hebron, McCook, O’Neill, Scottsbluff, Thedford, and Wahoo.

NPPD also offers a variety of incentives for customers who want to install residential or public electric vehicle charging stations or who are interested in purchasing an electric vehicle.

In 2018, NPPD launched a pilot program under which owners of electric vehicles will receive a $200 incentive if they install a charging station at their home.

The following year, NPPD in partnership with its wholesale utility customers, the Nebraska Environmental Trust and the Nebraska Community Energy Alliance, introduced three programs that will help to reduce the purchase price of an electric vehicle.

“We will continue to work with our wholesale customers and retail communities to install new chargers where the opportunities arise,” Kent said.