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Council approves final locations for private EV-charger pilot, staff says users will pay
Summary
The East Hampton Town Council approved final siting for up to four privately owned EV chargers through a PURA pilot, moving town-hall units and replacing a free village-center station with paid units; staff said the change will eliminate about $5,000 in annual electricity costs to the town.
The East Hampton Town Council on Tuesday approved final locations for a privately owned electric-vehicle charging pilot that staff and supporters said will cost the town little to install and reduce a recurring electricity expense.
Russ Kaplan, chair of the East Hampton Clean Energy Task Force, urged the council to act immediately so the town does not lose the opportunity. "This project ... would free the town from responsibility and costs for their installation, operation, and maintenance," Kaplan said, adding the pilot entitles the town to a second charger at town hall at no cost.
Town staff told the council the plan moves the town-hall chargers to the front of the building to use existing conduit and would replace the free village-center charger with two paid units. Staff said the change would shift ongoing electricity costs to users and that the town currently pays about $5,000 a year to power the existing village-center charger. The town would need to acquire and pay for one streetlight to support the village-center installation; staff estimated that light would cost between $1,500 and $3,500 depending on height and finish.
A council member asked whether users would incur new charges; staff confirmed users would pay under the private-operated model and that the draft budget already anticipates the savings. After brief questions, a motion to approve the final locations was made and seconded; the council approved the locations by voice vote.
Supporters emphasized the pilot's limited availability through the PURA program and said the arrangement avoids town responsibility for maintenance and long-term costs. Opponents did not block the measure during the meeting.
The council directed staff to finalize the implementation plan and return with details on installation and operation. The council did not set specific pricing for the chargers at Tuesday's meeting.
