Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Expanding Across PA

GREATER PHILADELPHIA — State officials were in the region this week to celebrate the latest electric vehicle DC fast charging stations that have been installed across the Delaware Valley and beyond.

Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Patrick McDonnell stopped by Philadelphia's Port Richmond neighborhood on Wednesday to celebrate the new fleet of charging stations that have been installed at 11 locations throughout Philadelphia, Montgomery and Delaware Counties, in southeastern Pennsylvania, along with Allegheny County in the western part of the commonwealth.

McDonnell was joined by Philadelphia environmental officials along with representatives from Wawa and EVgo, the latter of which is the company that manufactures and installs the electric vehicle fast chargers.

The state DEP made available a $2.2 million grant to help EVgo install the 36 DC fast charging plugs that are available for 24/7 public access.

"The Department of Environmental Protection has been pleased to play an early leadership role under the Wolf Administration in supporting the growth of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in Pennsylvania," McDonnell said in a statement. "Making electric transportation an option for more drivers is a key part of a transition to clean renewable energy that will reduce our nation's dependency on fossil fuels. It's how we'll become less vulnerable to international market disruption, and by eliminating tailpipe emissions, it's how we'll improve our air quality and slow down the warming of our climate and its negative impacts."

The DC fast chargers were installed at the following locations:

Montgomery County

• Acme Market, 829 Montgomery Avenue, Penn Valley
• Plymouth Square Shopping Center, 200 Ridge Pike, Conshohocken
• Wawa, 8250 Limekiln Pike, Wyncote
• Wynnewood Shopping Center, 50 East Wynnewood Road, Wynnewood

Delaware County

• Wawa, 1550 Chester Pike, Folcroft Borough

Philadelphia County

• Fishtown Crossing Plaza, 2401 Aramingo Avenue
• Wawa, 3901 Aramingo Avenue
• Quartermaster Plaza, 2300 Oregon Avenue

Allegheny County

• Sheetz, 9002 University Boulevard, Coraopolis
• Sheetz, 251 Curry Hollow Road, Pittsburgh
• Target, 360 East Waterfront Drive, Homestead

According to state officials, the locations for the newest DC charging stations were chosen because of their proximity to high-traffic highways or high-population communities, and nine are located within or adjacent to "environmental justice" areas.

The administration of Gov. Tom Wolf says that under the state's Driving PA Forward initiative, there are plans to install 52 electric vehicle fast charging plugs in 18 locations and 1,400 Level 2 charging stations in a total of 400 locations in across Pennsylvania.