County moves to add six Level 2 chargers at municipal building; receives grant for two DC fast chargers at Mesa Public Library

Los Alamos County staff reported at the Environmental Sustainability Board meeting Aug. 21 that county council approved installation of six new Level 2 electric vehicle chargers at the municipal building and that staff has begun permitting and procurement steps.

The planned Level 2 chargers will be installed facing Irish Street to align with existing charging infrastructure; staff said final timing will depend on equipment lead times and permitting. When the new chargers are operating, county staff said they plan to remove and recycle older chargers currently located in the center median.

Staff also said the county was awarded a New Mexico Department of Transportation and Design & Construction (NMDOTDC) fast-charging grant to fund two DC fast chargers at Mesa Public Library. The grant award requires formal acceptance by county council before work begins; staff said the next administrative step is presenting the award acceptance to council.

Separately, the county is completing a community-wide EV charging study that will produce charger siting heat maps and adoption forecasts. Staff said a draft of that study will be available in October, followed by public meetings and an ESB review before presentation to the Board of Public Utilities and county council.

Board members and staff discussed outreach and phasing: staff noted that charger siting considers feeder capacity and projected demand, and that education and permitting are part of a staged implementation plan.