Could western Maryland finally be getting DC Fast Charging? It’s been promised for years. Way back in April, 2014, then Maryland Attorney General, Doug Gansler, announced a $1 million grant program to build a statewide network of DC Fast Chargers that specifically included the western counties. That Maryland Fast Charging money was spent entirely between Hagerstown and Ocean City.
Recently, two Fast Chargers were built in Hancock, MD, about 20 miles west of Hagerstown. These are welcome, but it still leaves a lot of miles and elevation gain for EV drivers traveling to the mountains of Garrett and Allegany counties.
Potomac Edison has identified nine areas in their electric utility service area in Maryland where they wish to place public Fast Chargers under a pilot program approved by the Maryland Public Service Commission. They include, McHenry, Grantsville, Cumberland, Hancock, Thurmont, Frederick, Myersville, Mt. Airy and Urbana.
According to a report filed with the PSC, Potomac Edison is in the design phase to place two Fast Chargers and a Level 2 at the Deep Creek Visitors Center in McHenry. They are also working to place two Fast Chargers at a park on Main Street in Hancock, a few blocks from the existing pair of chargers.
The report stated that the utility has faced challenges in finding suitable sites with close proximity to the highway with amenities like restaurants nearby that also meet the requirement by the PSC that they be on government owned property.
The Maryland portion of I-70/I-68 has been designated a National Electric Vehicle Charging Corridor by the Federal Highway Administration. All that remains to become official is to build these charging stations. Let’s hope this time it really happens!
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