United Illuminating Joins Electric Highway Coalition to Build Robust EV Charging Network
Company is creating Make-Ready Program to support the development of EV chargers within its service area
ORANGE, Conn. — July 29, 2021 — United Illuminating Company (UI), along with their parent company AVANGRID, Inc., announced today that they have joined the Electric Highway Coalition. As a member, AVANGRID and UI will collaborate with neighboring utilities to enable long distance electric vehicle (EV) travel through a network of DC fast charging stations connecting major highway systems.
“We’re proud to join the Electric Highway Coalition and work to actively remove obstacles to enable electrification of the transportation sector,” said Frank Reynolds, President and CEO of UI. “One of the major fears with EV adoption is range anxiety—will there be an EV charger available when I need it? As an EV owner myself, I understand this concern and know the importance of having a network of available EV chargers. The Electric Highway Coalition will play an impactful role in building this network across our region and beyond.”
The Electric Highway Coalition was formed in March 2021 and is committed to growing corridor EV charging solutions within its member’s service territories to ensure EV drivers have convenient charging options and seamless travel routes. Its members will work together to ensure efficient and effective fast charging deployment plans that enable long distance EV travel, avoid duplication among Coalition utilities, and complement existing corridor fast charging sites. The charging sites will ideally be easily accessible for drivers and located less than 100 miles apart. The Electric Highway Coalition is also committed to providing a positive charging experience for drivers, including having at least two charging stations with universal vehicle compatibility and additional features where feasible, such as real-time status reporting for drivers and convenient payment collection.
UI’s participation in the Coalition helps to support Connecticut’s goal of deploying 125,000 to 150,000 electric vehicles on the road by 2025. The company is currently developing an EV Charger Incentive Program to be launched in January 2022 that will support the construction of new EV charging stations by offering incentives and rebates to qualifying business, municipal and residential customers who install EV chargers. This will include level 2 chargers, which take roughly eight hours to fully charge a vehicle, and DC fast chargers, which allow drivers to charge and be back on the road in as little as 20 to 30 minutes. As part of the program, the companies will support the development of up to 12,533 level 2 chargers and 96 DC fast chargers across their service area.
“Electrification of the transportation sector will play a large role in creating a cleaner, more sustainable future by reducing carbon emissions,” said Scott Bochenek, Program Director of Smart Grids Innovation at AVANGRID. “As a utility, it’s our responsibility to encourage and enable EV adoption by ensuring that there’s proper charging infrastructure within our service areas. Our participation in the Electric Highway Coalition will do just that.”
AVANGRID was the first utility in the nation to announce its pledge to achieve generation-related carbon neutrality by 2035 and aims to convert 60% of its fleet to clean energy vehicles by 2030. The company is already utilizing battery-powered construction and fleet equipment, including electric mini excavators, bucket trucks and cars, and is one of the first companies in the world to adopt a full size EV backhoe.
The Electric Highway Coalition recently announced it has doubled its membership. Together, the 14 members represent 29 states and the District of Columbia and serve more than 60 million customers.
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About UI: The United Illuminating Company (UI) is a subsidiary of AVANGRID, Inc. Established in 1899, UI operates approximately 3,600 miles of electric distribution lines and 138 miles of transmission lines. It serves approximately 341,000 customers in the greater New Haven and Bridgeport areas of Connecticut. UI received the Edison Electric Institute’s Emergency Recovery Award in 2019 and 2021. For more information, visit www.uinet.com.
About AVANGRID: AVANGRID, Inc. (NYSE: AGR) aspires to be the leading sustainable energy company in the United States. Headquartered in Orange, CT with approximately $39 billion in assets and operations in 24 U.S. states, AVANGRID has two primary lines of business: Avangrid Networks and Avangrid Renewables. Avangrid Networks owns and operates eight electric and natural gas utilities, serving more than 3.3 million customers in New York and New England. Avangrid Renewables owns and operates a portfolio of renewable energy generation facilities across the United States. AVANGRID employs approximately 7,000 people and has been recognized by Forbes and Just Capital as one of the 2021 JUST 100 companies – a list of America’s best corporate citizens – and was ranked number one within the utility sector for its commitment to the environment and the communities it serves. The company supports the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals and was named among the World’s Most Ethical Companies in 2021 for the third consecutive year by the Ethisphere Institute. For more information, visit www.avangrid.com.