As of May 25th, we have officially launched our new Residential EV Charging Program. MEC members with an electric vehicle that has a battery size of 2 kWh and is registered at an address in our territory are eligible to receive a free EV charger. A copy of the DMV registration must be provided to Midstate.
We are supplying the equipment only; it is up to the homeowner to have a licensed electrician install the charger. The charger must be hard-wired and requires a 40-amp breaker.
Why is Midstate willing to give me a charger?
Midstate receives updates from the State every six months on how many EVs are registered in our territory. We have no information beyond this number. We have assumptions about how these EVs are affecting our system, but we need hard data to design future EV programs. The chargers we are supplying to our members will communicate back to us so we can learn how and when they are being used. After this data is collected and analyzed, Midstate could offer programs designed to change charge times such as load-shifting, demand response, or time-of-use rates.
What kind of charger is it?
The chargers we are supplying are from Zef Energy. Zef takes a Clipper Creek charger and adds communication and control modules, turning a simple plug and play charger into a “smart” charger. These chargers have a capacity of 7.7kW, which will add about 25 miles of range per hour of charging.
What if I move?
If you are moving to another location that is served by Midstate you may bring the charger with you. If you are moving outside of Midstate’s territory you must leave the charger behind.
Why does Midstate want to know about my charging?
EV charging could have negative effects on the MEC system depending on where, how, and when it takes place. The effects could be on our physical infrastructure or our power bills from BPA. The data that MEC collects now will ensure that we can properly plan to mitigate these effects in the future, particularly as EVs continue to grow in popularity.
Call our Marketing & Communications department at 541-536-2126, option 5, if you meet the criteria to receive a free EV charger for your home.
