Biden infrastructure package provides for EV charging stations in PR
By The Star Staff
President Joe Biden’s infrastructure package will provide funds to Puerto Rico to build the charging stations for electric vehicles, Highways and Transportation Authority (ACT by its Spanish acronym) Executive Director Edwin González Montalvo said Tuesday.
González Montalvo said federal officials are waiting for the guidelines for the use of the funds, which he said will be provided early this year, to prepare and determine which points on the island are going to be included under the initiative.
“The Highways and Transportation Authority is going to benefit from an increase in funds within the allocation of [President] Biden made in the infrastructure package for the next five years, in which there will be an increase in funds for roads and bridges,” the ACT chief said. “And there is an allocation of funds to create the infrastructure for electric cars, and it is something that we will be working on once the guidelines are provided …, to prepare ourselves to see where on the island that infrastructure for the electric cars is going to be included.”
In October, the STAR reported that Tesla Inc. Senior Policy Advisor Bill Ehrlich had advised the Puerto Rico Energy Bureau (PREB) on how to improve electric car penetration in Puerto Rico as part of a probe launched by the energy regulator.
Creating an electric car infrastructure could mean additional income for the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority.
Ehrlich addressed matters related to utility ownership, billing for charging services, government-supplied land for electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure development, and zoning considerations for EV charging infrastructure. “Puerto Rico’s EV master plan should include measures that ensure continued flexibility and that enable a variety of technologies and stakeholders to participate in the growth of EVs and EV charging infrastructure,” Erlich said in written remarks. “The EV and EV charging industries are still at a nascent stage and rapidly evolving.”
Tesla’s mission is to accelerate the transition to sustainable energy through the development of all-electric vehicles and clean energy products including photovoltaic solar and battery storage. Tesla is a U.S.-based manufacturer whose vehicle lineup includes the Model S sedan, Model X crossover vehicle, Model 3 sedan and Model Y crossover vehicle. The vehicles have all-electric range of up to 405 miles per charge, and industry leading performance and safety ratings.
There are currently two Tesla charging locations in Puerto Rico, one site in Guaynabo and another in Aguadilla.