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San Rafael authorizes DC fast chargers for fleet electrification; grants to offset cost
Summary
The council authorized purchase of DC fast chargers and approved supplemental funding as staff outlined a plan for eight Level‑3 charging ports at the Public Works yard, supported by PG&E and regional grants to speed fleet transition and meet near‑term federal and state funding deadlines.
Deputy Director Jonathan Shelon of Public Works asked the council to authorize procurement of electric‑vehicle charging equipment through a Sourcewell cooperative purchase and to appropriate additional grant revenues and local funds to complete the project.
Shelon said the project will install eight DC fast (Level‑3) charging ports in the Public Works courtyard to support the city’s transition of light‑ and heavy‑duty fleet vehicles to zero‑emission vehicles. "These chargers are flexible — they let us program prioritization and take advantage of low‑rate charging windows," Shelon said. Staff described a package of grants and incentives — including the PG&E EV Fleet Program, an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG), MTC planning funds and federal investment tax credits — that reduce the city’s net cost.
Because some grant deadlines require charging capability by June 30, 2026, staff modified the site design to avoid lengthy trenching procedures and to build up the charging pads with elevation measures that account for sea‑level rise. Shelon said the city negotiated an expanded service commitment with PG&E so the site can scale up without repeating costly interconnection work if a second phase is later added.
Council members asked whether the initial installation would be publicly accessible; staff replied the initial deployment will be for fleet vehicles only and located behind the gated courtyard, with a later public‑facing phase planned when funding and trenching allow.
Council authorized the equipment purchase (not to exceed $351,245) and supplemental budget appropriations supported by additional grant funding, for a total project cost not to exceed $988,000.
