Reading Municipal Light Department Awarded Public Access Charging Grant

July 27, 2021

by Paul Ciampoli
APPA News Director
July 27, 2021

The Reading Municipal Light Department (RMLD) has been awarded a Massachusetts Electric Vehicle Incentive Program (MassEVIP) public access charging grant to support the installation of five dual-port level 2 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in its service territory.

Level 2 EV charging stations provide a charging rate of approximately 10-25 miles of range per hour of charge depending upon vehicle model. Three of the stations will be located in Reading and two of the stations will be located in Wilmington, Mass.

The MassEVIP grant award is just the first of many steps in the process of installing the public charging stations. The RMLD is working with the towns to finalize placement and design, develop a plan for construction, and refine the associated operating policies.

This initial grant totaled just under $80,000.

The MassEVIP public access charging program provides incentive funding to cover a portion of the cost of electric vehicle charging stations that are accessible to the general public. The RMLD will contribute funding and operational support to the installations.

Increasing the adoption of electric vehicles is an important component in RMLD’s ongoing electrification efforts, as well as decarbonization efforts across Massachusetts, the public power utility noted. Increasing the availability of public charging infrastructure will support these efforts.

Updates will be provided as the installations progress.

To learn more about electric vehicles and RMLD’s related rebate programs, visit https://www.rmld.com/electric-vehicle-rebate-programs.

Established in 1894, RMLD serves over 70,000 residents in the towns of Reading, North Reading, Wilmington, and Lynnfield Center. RMLD has over 29,000 meter connections within its service territory. Residential customers account for approximately one-third of RMLD’s electricity sales while commercial, industrial, and municipal customers account for about two-thirds of sales. There are over 3,000 commercial and/or industrial customers in the communities RMLD serves.

The American Public Power Association’s Public Power EV Activities Tracker summarizes key efforts undertaken by members — including incentives, electric vehicle deployment, charging infrastructure investments, rate design, pilot programs, and more. Click here for additional details.