NYPA Press Release

Hub Installed by New York Power Authority Extends EVolve NY Cross-state EV Charging Network and Bolsters Oswego’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative

Charging Infrastructure Expansion Helps Increase Electric Vehicle Use and Advances New York’s Clean Energy Goals for Transportation Sector

See Photo of Oswego Chargers Here

The New York Power Authority (NYPA) and the Department of State (DOS) today announced deployment of the first electric vehicle (EV) fast chargers that can be used by any all-electric vehicle in downtown Oswego at the top of the state’s Central New York Region. The two-charger hub extends NYPA’s EVolve NY high-speed charging network and helps to advance New York State’s clean energy goals for the transportation sector. Oswego is one of six cities deploying EVolve NY chargers as part of the State’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI), making EV driving a more accessible option for local residents as well as travelers from other states. The DRIve EV Downtown initiative is a collaboration between NYPA and DOS.

“Adding fast chargers to a community not only encourages the use of electric vehicles, it helps reduce polluting emissions from the transportation sector,” said NYPA Acting President and CEO Justin E. Driscoll. “I commend the City of Oswego for taking this forward-thinking step. The City is preparing for a sustainable future, making sure that residents and visitors can easily access fast charging located right downtown. As New York continues to move toward electrified transportation and a carbon neutral economy, Oswego is showing residents and visitors that its downtown is ready for electric vehicles.”

The Oswego site, at the downtown city-owned parking lot at 99 W. 2^nd St., is part of NYPA’s EVolve NY fast-charging network, which is bringing high-speed open access charging to key locations along primary travel corridors and in urban areas to encourage the adoption of EVs. More than 100 high speed chargers are currently operational across New York State on the EVolve NY network.

Downtown Revitalization Efforts

The City of Oswego, which was named a DRI community in 2016, is thriving as a result of new and expanding housing opportunities, exciting new businesses, and upgrades to public spaces that make the downtown more hospitable to pedestrians and bicyclists. Oswego included the EV fast chargers as part of its ongoing revitalization and development efforts to build on recent public and private investments to create a truly vibrant, year-round central business district that serves as the economic, civic and cultural center of the community.

“As electric vehicles become more and more prevalent, EV charging stations such as these new ones in downtown Oswego provide an essential service that are making our communities more attractive to residents, workers and visitors alike and bolstering local economies,” said Secretary of State Robert J. Rodriguez.  “These stations are the perfect complement to the impressive array of projects completed by the Downtown Revitalization Initiative and I am proud of the productive partnership that DOS and NYPA have forged to equip our downtowns with clean, climate-friendly infrastructure throughout the State.” 

The two Direct Current Fast Chargers (DCFC) can charge most of the battery capacity in any make or model of EV in as little as 20 minutes. The charging stations, on the Shell Recharge network, are equipped with fast-charging connectors—a combined charging system rated at up to 150 kW and a CHAdeMO connector rated at up to 100kW—so all electric vehicles, including Tesla cars with an adapter, can plug in.

“The city of Oswego was thrilled to partner with NYPA to plan, install and open a car charging station in downtown Oswego,” said Oswego Mayor William Barlow.  “Our downtown is experiencing a resurgence as we revitalize our businesses, historic neighborhoods and waterfront to create an ambience attractive to both locals and visitors. Fast charging is a perfect fit and shows that Oswego cares about the environment and looks ahead to a greener future.”

Other DRI locations that have included EV fast charging are Amsterdam (Montgomery County), Geneva (Ontario County), Riverhead (Suffolk County), Utica (Mohawk Valley) and Middletown (Orange County).

John Doran, president of Plugin Stations Online, which installed the chargers, said, “The team at PlugIn Stations Online is proud to have helped facilitate the installation of NYPA's EVolve site in Oswego, New York. We continue to support NYPA's efforts to build out the electric vehicle infrastructure for the people of New York and the nation. The Oswego site provides EV drivers with the additional resources to feel confident in driving the central corridor of New York State.” 

Alberto Bianchetti, regional director of customer and community engagement for National Grid, said, “The EVolve NY fast charging network is an important component of the electric vehicle transition. Fast chargers, like these high-speed open access ports in Oswego, can help relieve anxiety over driving range and remove a barrier from ownership. National Grid supports EVolve NY by contributing more than $2 million towards the state’s goal of making 800 new EV fast charging stations available by 2025, in addition to our own Electric Vehicle Charger Make Ready Program that provides incentives to companies that deploy chargers on their property.”

EVolve NY chargers also are operational in Syracuse in the Central New York Region as well as Watertown in the North Country Region.

New York State

Governor Kathy Hochul has called for major regulatory action that will require all new passenger cars, pick-up trucks and SUVs sold in New York State to be zero-emissions by 2035. Governor Hochul has also proposed that all school buses be zero emissions by that the same year. Proposing draft regulations is a crucial step to further electrify the transportation sector and help New York achieve its climate requirement of reducing greenhouse gases 85 percent by 2050.

New York State hosts 1,149 public fast chargers at 259 locations, according to the U.S. Dept. of Energy Alternative Fuels Data Center, although they range in speed from 25kW to 350kW which equates to varying charging times. More than 600 are Tesla-only chargers.

EV owners can locate public chargers using smartphone apps such as Shell Recharge, Electrify America, PlugShare, ChargeHub, ChargeWay, EV Connect, ChargePoint, Google Maps, or the U.S. Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels Data Center. For a map showing EVolve NY chargers, click here. Note that the EVolve chargers operate on the Electrify America and Shell Recharge networks.  Credit cards are accepted to charge; no subscription or membership needed.

View photo of the Oswego site.

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New York State's Nation-Leading Climate Plan
New York State's nation-leading climate agenda is the most aggressive climate and clean energy initiative in the nation, calling for an orderly and just transition to clean energy that creates jobs and continues fostering a green economy as New York State recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. Enshrined into law through the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, New York is on a path to achieve its mandated goal of a zero-emission electricity sector by 2040, including 70 percent renewable energy generation by 2030, and to reach economy wide carbon neutrality. It builds on New York's unprecedented investments to ramp-up clean energy including over $35 billion in 120 large-scale renewable and transmission projects across the state, $6.8 billion to reduce buildings emissions, $1.8 billion to scale up solar, more than $1 billion for clean transportation initiatives, and over $1.6 billion in NY Green Bank commitments. Combined, these investments are supporting more than 165,000 jobs in New York’s clean energy sector in 2021, a 2,100 percent growth in the distributed solar sector since 2011 and a commitment to develop 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind by 2035. Under the Climate Act, New York will build on this progress and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85 percent from 1990 levels by 2050, while ensuring that at least 35 percent with a goal of 40 percent of the benefits of clean energy investments are directed to disadvantaged communities, and advance progress towards the state's 2025 energy efficiency target of reducing on-site energy consumption by 185 trillion BTUs of end-use energy savings.

About NYPA

NYPA is the largest state public power organization in the nation, operating 16 generating facilities and more than 1,400 circuit-miles of transmission lines. More than 80 percent of the electricity NYPA produces is clean renewable hydropower. NYPA uses no tax money or state credit. It finances its operations through the sale of bonds and revenues earned in large part through sales of electricity. For more information visit www.nypa.gov and follow us on Twitter @NYPAenergy, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr and LinkedIn.

About the Downtown Revitalization Initiative

The DOS also administers the Governor’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI). 

The DRI launched in 2016 to accelerate and expand the revitalization of downtowns and neighborhoods in all ten regions of the state to serve as centers of activity and catalysts for increased local investments. Led by the Department of State, the DRI represents an unprecedented and innovative “plan-then-act” strategy that couples strategic planning with immediate implementation. Most DRI communities have received funding in the past from the BOA and LWRP programs, which in turn has helped them develop and implement their successful DRI applications.  The DRI has awarded a total of $600 million to 59 communities in its first five rounds.