With gas prices on the rise and a societal shift toward energy conservation, there has never been a better time to go electric.
To enable this, Bruce Power Net Zero Inc. (BPNZ) and Westario Power are looking to join forces with local municipalities to bring electric vehicle (EV) charging stations to the Clean Energy Frontier region of Bruce, Grey and Huron counties.
In partnership with ChargePoint, a leading EV infrastructure provider, BPNZ and Westario Power are helping municipalities ‘Lead the Charge’ by offering a turnkey program in the Westario Power service area to install and operate Level 2 EV charging stations in public places. This will allow residents and visitors to charge up quickly and easily while grabbing a coffee, watching a hockey game, shopping or taking in an event.
“A key element of the Bruce Power Net Zero strategy is to provide critical infrastructure to enable the transition to Net Zero here in the Clean Energy Frontier region of Bruce, Grey and Huron,” said Mike Rencheck, President and CEO of Bruce Power. “Transportation is the largest emitter of CO2 in Ontario. As vehicle electrification develops, we want our communities to have the resources available that will enable EV adoption and tourism as one tangible way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Ontario.”
“Westario Power is focused on community prosperity through the innovation and investment in the electrification of transportation,” added Jenny Alfandary, President and CEO of Westario Power. “Our mission is powering people’s lives, and, with our consumer-oriented initiatives, we are critically enhancing the vitality of the communities we proudly serve. The partnership with Bruce Power is an important component of Westario Power industry leadership.”
While electric vehicles are becoming increasingly popular in Ontario, particularly in urban communities, a shortage of EV charging stations in this region is a challenge for drivers who own, or would like to own, a cleaner and more economical mode of transportation.
According to a recent study by the Nuclear Innovation Institute (NII), which surveyed more than 500 EV and zero-emissions vehicle owners, more than 80 per cent of respondents reported that it is difficult or very difficult to access public charging stations in the region. Additionally, more than 70 per cent of EV owners surveyed said they would only travel to destinations with accessible public charging stations for vacations and weekend getaways.
Currently, there are only 45 accessible charging stations with 111 plugins throughout Bruce, Grey and Huron counties. Increasing the number of charging stations in public spaces will allow rural residents to charge their electric vehicles at their convenience and travel throughout the region without worrying about finding a place to top up. Additional accessible charging stations could also help to attract additional tourism traffic, resulting in economic benefits for the region.
‘Lead the Charge’ is a program funded in part by BPNZ and Westario Power, and will allow municipalities to lease EV charging stations from ChargePoint, which will install and fully service the stations. To support the initiative, Westario Power will provide the final connection to its distribution system where required.
About Bruce Power Net Zero Inc.: Bruce Power Net Zero Inc. is focused on unlocking the potential of other complementary technologies to nuclear including storage, renewables, hydrogen, and electrified transportation to achieve a Net Zero future. Bruce Power Net Zero Inc. also operates Huron Wind, a 9 Megawatt wind farm located in Tiverton. Huron Wind was the first commercial wind farm in Ontario. Bruce Power Net Zero Inc. is owned jointly by TC Energy and OMERS.
About Westario Power Inc.: Westario Power is an Energy Distribution Company focused on providing superior value to its customers across the 15 communities it serves. Westario Power ensures the safe, reliable delivery of electricity to the 24,000+ customers through 746 km of distribution lines and 27 municipal substations are working at high efficiency and reliability. Learn more at www.westario.com and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.