penguin face: NRG to bring 200 fast-charging EV stations to the Golden State, pump $100 million into CA infrastructure

Sunday, March 25, 2012

NRG to bring 200 fast-charging EV stations to the Golden State, pump $100 million into CA infrastructure

Way back before NRG was making electric DeLoreans and building solar power plants, it co-owned a slew of power facilities in California with Dynegy -- an energy outfit that got caught up in a long-term litigation over some old energy contracts with the state. Long story short, that legal dispute became NRG's problem in 2006, after it acquired Dynegy's majority stake in the partnership -- a problem it's finally resolving by peppering California with 200 fast-charging EV stations. The $120 million settlement promises to create jobs, invest in the state's economy and provide job training for the stations' maintenance and installation crews.

NRG may be shelling out some serious cash, but the deal is still mutually beneficial -- those extra vehicle chargers will be running on its own fee-based eVgo network, after all. Governor Jerry Brown calls the settlement the beginning of a "virtuous circle" that will boost EV sales for the state, which will in turn, provoke investors to expand California's charging infrastructure, which will, of course, sell more cars. In fact, he's banking on it, and has signed an executive order setting targets for EV adoption. If all goes as planned, you'll be looking at a smog free San Francisco skyline by 2050. Won't that be nice?

Continue reading NRG to bring 200 fast-charging EV stations to the Golden State, pump $100 million into CA infrastructure

NRG to bring 200 fast-charging EV stations to the Golden State, pump $100 million into CA infrastructure originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 25 Mar 2012 04:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink