Following the recent installation of four new charging stations at Brewery Creek in Elmwood Township, Traverse City Light & Power (TCLP) board members have approved spending more than a half million dollars to overhaul the utility’s electric vehicle (EV) chargers at Clinch Park and Hall Street. At their June meeting, board members also approved a contract for a new community education and outreach program, a potential cell tower on TCLP’s Cedar Run Road property, and a project to relocate transmission line near Barney Road.

Clinch/Hall Expansion
As previously reported by The Ticker, TCLP is planning a major upgrade of the EV chargers at Clinch Park and the utility’s Hall Street customer service center. That project now has a price tag: $585,504.57, which includes a 10 percent contingency.

The project will “improve access to public EV charging at two of TCLP’s most visible and well-used locations, benefiting residents and visitors,” according to Project Manager Liz Nielsen. Plans call for expanding from two to four DC fast-charging spaces at Clinch Park and from one to four spaces at Hall Street. Clinch Park will still have two Level 2 charging spaces – which previously dominated both sites – while Level 2 will be eliminated at Hall Street. One of the new Hall Street spaces will be handicap accessible. Overall, five new DC ports will be installed across the two sites.

DC chargers are significantly faster, adding “up to 150 miles in 30 minutes” while Level 2 chargers “add 20-30 miles of range per hour,” according to TCLP.  The new equipment, ChargePoint Express 280 chargers, can provide 80kW in a single station or 160kW paired. However, they are also more expensive: TCLP’s website lists a peak summer rate of 45 cents per kWh for DC compared to 41 cents for Level 2.

Board member Elysha Davila asked about the reasons for replacing the current EV chargers. “It's a big-ticket item, so to have to replace it after five years is feeling a little tough,” she said. Staff explained it wasn’t only the charging equipment but network issues that need to be addressed.

“The existing equipment at these sites has become increasingly unreliable, with recurring networking problems, inconsistent charger performance, and component failures that have reduced system dependability and negatively affected the user experience,” Nielsen wrote in a memo. “Continued reliance on aging equipment increases the risk of service disruption, undermines public confidence in the charging network, and limits TCLP’s ability to provide the level of service expected of critical public infrastructure.” Executive Director Brandie Ekren added there will be an expected boost in “user confidence” with ChargePoint, TCLP’s new vendor.

Staff estimated it will take eight years to recoup costs through charging fees based on current usage. However, that ROI could be reached faster if usage increases – a possibility with faster, more reliable EV chargers, staff said. Board members also clarified how parking tickets work when cars are in EV spaces. Drivers who park in EV spaces are charged by the software for both the EV charging and parking fees. If a car is fully charged and remains in the spot, the owner is charged an idling fee on the power side and continues to accrue parking costs. If a car is in an EV space and not plugged in – or improperly plugged in – the owner can be issued a parking ticket, staff said.

Staff noted the equipment’s high price tag could be offset with two other funding sources. A GM grant funding agreement will cover $140,000. Meanwhile, TCLP applied for a state grant in March, which is currently on hold for review but could potentially provide another $180,000. Construction on the new chargers is expected to start in late September, with the equipment ready to use by late October. Board members, who approved the project, expressed enthusiasm overall for the upgrades along with hopes it would lead to broader EV adoption locally.  

Also at the TCLP June meeting…
> Board members approved a $120,786 one-year contract with Lotus Engineering and Sustainability to create a customer education and community outreach program for the utility’s sustainable energy initiatives. The firm, which will partner with local group SEEDS on the project, will develop materials ranging from school lessons to public workshops to a volunteer ambassador program to raise community awareness on topics like electrification, energy efficiency, and decarbonization. Board members also discussed having Lotus weigh in on potential educational/outreach components at TCLP’s future new headquarters – described as a “sustainable innovation campus” – being eyed for Cedar Run Road.

> That Cedar Run Road property could also soon host a new cell tower. Board members gave staff approval to negotiate an agreement with a developer who is considering multiple local sites for a new tower, including the TCLP property. Staff noted the agreement is structured in such a way that it does not commit TCLP to putting the tower in a specific location on the property, ensuring it won’t interfere with buildout plans for the new campus. “Execution of the agreement does not guarantee that a tower will ultimately be constructed, but it positions TCLP to take advantage of a potential low-impact revenue opportunity,” staff wrote in a memo.

> Finally, board members approved spending up to $200,000 to relocate approximately 3,800 feet of transmission line near Barney Road. The line is on right-of-way owned by Wolverine Power Cooperative, which manages substations for Cherryland Electric. Wolverine is planning to relocate one of its substations to the area of the TCLP line. Staff said the relocated line will ultimately be beneficial as it will be shorter at 900 feet, making it easier to maintain and access. Construction is planned for next spring with a targeted April completion date.