As automakers retool their factories to build electric vehicles (EVs), many more EVs will be on the roadways in the next decade. Sequatchie Valley Electric Cooperative (SVEC) is helping to make sure that Tennessee is ready with charging infrastructure.
On September 19, SVEC announced that it has installed two fast chargers at The Food City in Kimball at 570 Main St. as part of Fast Charge TN, a partnership between the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), and Seven States Power Corporation. This Fast Charge TN installation is part of the regional Fast Charge Network that will cover major travel corridors across TVA’s seven-state service area and will complement the broader efforts of the National Electric Highway Coalition, which seeks to enable long-distance EV travel by placing fast chargers along interstates and major highways throughout the United States.
“We jumped at the opportunity to participate in Fast Charge TN because we want to make it easy for people to choose EVs so our community can enjoy the environmental and economic benefits of electric transportation,” says Mike Partin, President and CEO of SVEC. “The funding from TVA and TDEC makes it possible to add fast chargers in our community by providing 80% of the project cost.”
“We’ve moved far beyond connecting communities with power lines alone,” says Monika Beckner, Vice President of TVA EnergyRight. “Today, EVs use our clean, low-cost, reliable electricity to connect communities and commerce across our region. Taking a leadership role in EV charging infrastructure allows us to save drivers money and attract good jobs and tourism– all powered by electricity from SVEC and TVA.”
TVA and TDEC have brought together local power companies, state and local government partners, and others to pave the way for over 200,000 EVs on Tennessee Valley roads by 2028.
“Tennessee’s air is cleaner as measured by federal air quality standards than it has been in generations, and a clean environment helps drive economic development,” says Greg Young, TDEC Deputy Commissioner. “TDEC is partnering with TVA and SVEC on the development of this station to continue Tennessee’s environmental and economic momentum while further entrenching our state as the epicenter of the electric vehicle transition.”
“Seven States is trusted by local power companies across the Tennessee Valley to deliver EV charging technology for their consumers,” says Betsey Kirk McCall, President and CEO of Seven States Power Corporation. “Impactful partnerships like this benefit the local community, regional economy, and global environment for years to come.”
“This charging location does more than charge cars — it connects Marion County to the Fast Charge Network and plays an important role in putting our region on the leading edge of the new electric economy, connecting our communities to greater opportunities,” says Partin.
To learn more about the Fast Charge Network, calculate how much money an EV could save you or locate EV charging stations on your travel route, check out https://energyright.com/ev/.
