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Electric committee weighs 'Ready for 100' options and funding for EV chargers after grant rejection
Summary
Council discussed scaling renewable targets into smaller, tangible projects, recovering tariff charges from vendors, and alternative funding for EV chargers after a federal grant for Freight House DC fast chargers was not accepted.
The borough’s electric committee reported operational updates and debated how to advance renewable goals and electric-vehicle infrastructure after a federal grant for DC fast chargers at the Freight House was not accepted.
Councilman Andrew Carroll said staff will refurbish an aging pole cart and a wire cart (estimated $5,000 refurbishments) rather than purchase oversized new equipment. He announced final payments pending for the Main Street substation relay project and two unit substations after vendor corrections.
On decarbonization, Carroll described the EAC’s Ready for 100 conversation and recommended breaking the 100% renewable target into smaller, achievable steps. "We currently sit somewhere between 79% renewable energy right now," he said, and added that the remaining incremental steps will require substantial cost. He asked staff to prioritize tangible projects with near-term returns and resilience benefits, such as storage and peak-shaving applications.
The committee also discussed a denied grant for DC fast chargers at the Freight House. Carroll said the federal grant process shifted away from aggregate applications the borough used with regional partners, leaving the borough to consider applying individually or seeking other funding. Staff estimated the capital cost could be large; one council member said older cost estimates approached $500,000.
Council members raised a separate procurement issue after recent federal tariff rulings: one specific meter delivery surcharge identified on an invoice totaled about $8,500. Electric staff agreed to contact primary vendors (Anixter plus key suppliers) to determine whether any tariff refunds will be remitted and, if so, whether the borough can recover funds. Committee members cautioned recovery may be difficult and vendor cooperation is not guaranteed.
Members also discussed possible local funding sources for chargers, including the parking fund, with staff stating the parking fund cash balance is $863,002.68; council members warned competing capital priorities (building repairs, parks projects) and recommended careful budgeting before committing that fund to expensive EV infrastructure.
Staff said they will continue to pursue grant opportunities, explore battery storage and smaller scalable projects, and bring options for council review.
