AKRON, Ohio, July 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- FirstEnergy Corp.
(NYSE: FE) has joined the Electric Highway Coalition, a group of
electric companies committed to enabling long-distance electric
vehicle (EV) travel through a network of EV fast-charging stations
connecting major highway systems.
Formed in March 2021, the Electric
Highway Coalition (EHC) includes many of the nation's leading
utilities in 29 states and the District
of Columbia serving more than 60 million customers. Members
include American Electric Power, AVANGRID, Consolidated Edison, DTE
Energy, Dominion Energy, Duke Energy, Entergy Corporation,
Eversource Energy, Exelon, FirstEnergy, ITC Holdings Corp.,
National Grid, Southern Company and the Tennessee Valley
Authority.
The members are committed to growing EV charging solutions
within their service territories and working together to ensure
efficient and effective fast-charging deployment plans that enable
long-distance EV travel, avoid duplication among coalition
utilities and complement existing fast-charging sites.
"We look forward to working with the members of the Electric
Highway Coalition to support a network of stations that provides
convenient fast-charging options for EV drivers as they travel
across major regions of the country," said Meghan Beringer, FirstEnergy's director of
Emerging Technologies Strategy. "Joining the EHC will help expand
our ability to provide customers with opportunities to utilize
electric vehicles in their everyday lives."
The Edison Electric Institute estimates 18 million EVs will be
on U.S. roads by 2030. While many drivers recognize the benefits of
driving an EV, some are concerned with the availability of charging
stations during long road trips. Through their unified efforts, the
members of the EHC are addressing this "range anxiety" and
demonstrating to customers that EVs are a smart choice for
traveling long distances as well as driving around town.
FirstEnergy is engaged in discussion with regulators and
legislators in the states it serves to help support the expansion
of EV infrastructure. Because utilities know the electrical grid
better than other entities, companies like FirstEnergy are uniquely
positioned to help ensure EV programs are effective from an
operational and cost standpoint for customers.
Potomac Edison, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy, installed its first
fast-charging stations, also known as direct-current fast chargers
(DCFC), in its Maryland service
area earlier this year. Fast-charging stations can provide an 80%
charge for most vehicles in less than an hour, enabling drivers to
recharge during the day or on a break.
The new stations are part of Potomac Edison's EV Driven pilot
program, a five-year Maryland Public Service Commission-approved
program designed to benefit the state's environment by reducing
auto emissions and supporting Maryland's goal to reach 300,000 zero-emission
vehicles on the road by 2025. Over the course of the program,
Potomac Edison will install 59 charging stations, including 20
fast-charging stations, across its Maryland territory.
In March, FirstEnergy subsidiary JCP&L filed a petition with
the New Jersey Board of Public
Utilities seeking approval for its own proposed EV Driven program.
If approved, the program would offer incentives and rate structures
to support the development of EV charging infrastructure throughout
JCP&L's service territory in an effort to accelerate the
adoption of electric vehicles.
FirstEnergy is also taking steps to electrify its own vehicle
fleet, previously announcing that the company's new purchases of
aerial and light duty trucks will be electric or hybrid vehicles.
Transitioning its vehicle fleet to these cleaner-powered options is
part of FirstEnergy's larger efforts to reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG)
emissions companywide and support transportation electrification
efforts in its six-state service area.
FirstEnergy expects to electrify 30% of its approximately 3,400
light duty and aerial fleet vehicles by 2030, representing
1,034 vehicles, with the goal of reaching 100% electrification by
2050. The 30% fleet replacement target has the potential to
annually eliminate approximately 10,000 metric tons of GHG
emissions while saving more than 3.8 million gallons of fuel from
2021-2030.
Aligned with its mission to help build a brighter and more
sustainable future for the communities it serves, FirstEnergy has
pledged to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and has set an interim
goal for a 30% reduction in greenhouse gases within the company's
direct operational control by 2030.
FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and
operational excellence. Its 10 electric distribution companies form
one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems,
serving customers in Ohio,
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West
Virginia, Maryland and
New York. The company's
transmission subsidiaries operate approximately 24,000 miles of
transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic
regions. Follow FirstEnergy online at www.firstenergycorp.com and
on Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp.
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SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.