Company Awarded $740K to Build EV Charging Station in Mercer
HARRISBURG, Pa. – Mercer County will share in a total $20 million worth of investments in new electric vehicle charging stations targeted for 19 counties across Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation announced Thursday.
According to a press release from PennDOT, the agency has awarded $740,968 to Francis Energy PA LLC to construct an EV charging station near the city of Mercer at a Shell station along Perry Highway just off Interstate 80 at Exit 15.
A total of 29 projects across 19 counties were funded in Round 1A of the federal government’s National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure, or NEVI, program. The sites were selected to fill the gaps along the alternative fuel corridors that were identified following the first round of funding in 2023.
“Every federal dollar directed toward EV charging is one step closer to a vision of accessible and reliable infrastructure that supports electric transportation,” said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. “Pennsylvania, under the leadership of Gov. [Josh] Shapiro, has been among the states leading the charge to distribute NEVI funds to give drivers confidence while promoting sustained environmental benefits.”
Pennsylvania was among the first states to open a NEVI-funded charging station in December 2023, and the Shapiro administration is moving efficiently to drive out federal funding and build critical transportation infrastructure ahead of other states, the release said.
The $20 million federal investment is part of the $171.5 million PennDOT will receive and distribute for EV charging infrastructure over five years through the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the release stated.
Together with Round 1 awards, Pennsylvania has committed NEVI funding to 83 projects across 41 counties. In addition, PennDOT has released priority areas for NEVI Round 1B.
The Round 1B Funding Opportunity is designed to fill gaps in the AFCs that remain following Round 1 and Round 1A awards. Additional details regarding the Round 1B Funding Opportunity will be released soon. A map of Round 1B priority areas can be found on the PennDOT website.
The NEVI funds support the planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance of charging sites. The PA NEVI program is a reimbursement program, and recipients are required to provide a minimum 20% match. PennDOT received 86 unique funding submissions requesting nearly $56 million for this round of investments.
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
