Update on CalTrans District 9 (Sierra Nevada East Side) DC Fast Charger Program

[paulgipe]

Dan,

Thanks for keeping this thread going. I agree with you that the proposed locations are lousy, but we'll take any stations we can get at this point.

Have you talked to Linda Urata? Or Jeremiah Cravens? He's at the Eastern Kern APCD and they have money for DCFC stations. They have 50,000 for that Boron Love Truck Stop. Seems like CP would jump at taking the subsidy money.

Paul

[danrjones]

Dan,

Thanks for keeping this thread going. I agree with you that the proposed locations are lousy, but we'll take any stations we can get at this point.

Have you talked to Linda Urata? Or Jeremiah Cravens? He's at the Eastern Kern APCD and they have money for DCFC stations. They have 50,000 for that Boron Love Truck Stop. Seems like CP would jump at taking the subsidy money.

Paul

I totally agree with you that "a" location is better than no location.

I've been really busy at work so I've been checking stuff on the weekend. But I'll try calling or emailing the air district. They might be the same ones I worked with for a rebate on my Leaf. I can suggest locations to them but I'm not really in a position to do much beyond that? My workplace is not a possible location for a charger, if you know this area, you'll know what I mean.

I can contact the tribe and make that suggestion. Never hurts to try.

[danrjones]

INYOKERN UPDATE
Looks like this week they buried the rest of the conduit and poured the transformer pad.

[danrjones]

There has been a bit of progress at Inyokern. The concrete pad has some equipment installed on it and a second pad has been poured. But they clearly have work left. Given current conditions might be awhile.

I'm also mandated to stay within my area from my work, so I am unable to check out other sites than inyokern right now.

[danrjones]

I checked Inyokern site Saturday and it did not look like much had changed. Still waiting for the transformer and connection work.

I also drove by Brady's twice and neither time did I see any sign of construction work there.
I do recall the CA program updates listing alternatives for the Charge point Inyokern site, so maybe I need to check some of those to see if it was moved.

[paulgipe]

Thanks Dan. Glad you could get out there.

Doesn't make one optimistic that any of these stations will be live anytime soon--not that we can use right now anyway.

Paul

[danrjones]

Thanks Dan. Glad you could get out there.

Doesn't make one optimistic that any of these stations will be live anytime soon--not that we can use right now anyway.

Paul

I wouldn't be surprised if both the Inyokern airport site and the EA Coso Junction site are waiting on Southern CA Edison.
So I'm not sure if that's good and they will get to it any moment or not. Wildfire season is long gone but whether SCE is operating at 100% right now I have no idea.

But I do know SCE is operating. They came out and turned my power off a couple weeks back so I could upgrade my breaker box from 100 amps to 200 amps.

[danrjones]

I got this response from CEC. The only note is that I was asking about the lack of construction at Brady's but based on his wording, I'll take that to mean Brady's is still the planned site.

My name is Brian Fauble and I am the project manager for the grant agreement with ChargePoint where they are installing DC fast chargers at 51 sites on along California corridors.



The site you mentioned in you email below, Robbers Roost at 49901 Hwy 14, Inyokern, is no longer being pursued and an alternative site is being utilized. The Robbers Roost site did not have adequate existing power to accommodate the planned chargers and the cost would have been too high to get the necessary power to the site.



The new site ChargePoint is utilizing is the Brady’s Mini Mart / Mobil Gas Station just north of where Hwy-14 and SR-395 connect. This new site is currently planned to be complete in July, but could possibly be delayed with the impact of COVID-19.



You are correct about the EV Connect site at the airport is in addition to the ChargePoint sites. EV Connect is also installing chargers from Mojave, Lancaster and Palmdale. ChargePoint will also install chargers in this region at sites in Mojave, Tehachapi, Barstow, and Victorville. They had a site planned at Kramer Junction, but experienced the same issue as Robbers Roost where the site does not have adequate power for the DCFCs. We also heard from ChargePoint and SCE that the substation in Boron is at max capacity and needs to be expanded before large new services can be added.



We agree and are also excited to see the Caltrans sites become operational as well as the Electrify America sites along the 14 and 395. We feel that the progress made by all three organizations will provide multiple options to drivers and provide range confidence between DCFC sites.



If you have any additional questions please feel free to reach out to me.

[paulgipe]

Thanks again Dan.

ChargePoint is using every bit of time allowed under their CEC contracts. Brian's hint that they may come back hat in hand asking for an extension suggests we may not get these stations for this summer's driving season or at best late in the season.

Frustrating. Five years it's taken them to get these stations in the ground and operating from beginning to end.

Paul

[danrjones]

Thanks again Dan.

ChargePoint is using every bit of time allowed under their CEC contracts. Brian's hint that they may come back hat in hand asking for an extension suggests we may not get these stations for this summer's driving season or at best late in the season.

Frustrating. Five years it's taken them to get these stations in the ground and operating from beginning to end.

Paul

Sorry Paul

I'd like to go check on Caltrans sites but I have restrictions from work about how far I am allowed to travel. But I will keep checking around Inyokern. That one looks like it just needs SCE. That could still happen in time for summer. Same with Coso Junction.