Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency (SMMPA) received an American Public Power Association Energy Innovator Award during APPA’s National Conference in Orlando, Florida. The award honors utilities that have developed or applied creative, energy-efficient techniques and technologies to their work, to provide better service to electric customers or projects that increase the efficiency of utility operations or resource efficiency.
SMMPA’s Member Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Network was a collaboration between the agency, its member utilities, and ZEF Energy to facilitate the acceptance of electric vehicles and help with the transformation of both the electric utility and transportation industries. SMMPA provided each participating member a DC Fast Charger and two duel-port Level 2 chargers and the associated maintenance programs while member utilities located suitable sites and handled the installation.
“We are proud to have our members be recognized for their forward-thinking approach and innovative work to help facilitate greater adoption of electric vehicles within their communities,” said Dave Geschwind, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer for SMMPA.
This project will bring fast charging stations to the region and reduce range anxiety by providing EV owners with a quick charge when they are traveling longer distances. SMMPA has developed a blueprint for how to create an EV charging network across members within a joint action agency.
Implementing the EV network is part of the SMMPA 2.0 Strategic Initiative announced in 2020 that supports member utilities in providing affordable, reliable, and innovative service to their communities as SMMPA takes steps to reduce its carbon emissions by 90 percent by 2030.
