Council approves permit for DC fast chargers at Broadway Plaza, with restoration conditions

The Malden City Council approved a petition to install underground conduits and a pad-mounted transformer to power DC fast chargers at Broadway Plaza, moving forward a project the applicant and sponsors said will bring level-3, DC fast charging to the area.

On a motion by Councilor Seka, seconded by Councilor Winslow, the council granted paper 27-26 for work on Newland Street to feed a proposed pad-mounted transformer and EV charging station at Broadway Plaza. The conditions attached to the grant mirror those used for other utility work: the applicant must call Dig Safe and notify the engineer when the call is made, and streets and sidewalks must be restored to the satisfaction of the director of public works.

Katie Campion, representing WS Development on behalf of the property owner, said she would send follow-up information to the council clerk about the charger operator. Councilors asked whether the chargers would be level 2 or level 3. Meeting comments identified the chargers as level 3, DC fast chargers, and noted they can add roughly 100 miles of range in 30 to 60 minutes depending on vehicle and operating conditions. “They connect directly through DC current, so they can add up to 100 mi in 30 to 60 minutes,” a meeting speaker said.

Councilors expressed general support for bringing more fast-charging capacity to Malden and approved the permit with the stated conditions. The applicant agreed to provide operator and technical details by email to the clerk for the record. The council then cleared its docket and adjourned at 7:45 p.m.