Yellowknife’s first Level 3 electric vehicle (EV) fast charger is now up and running.
The charger is located at Northland Utilities’ main office at 481 Range Lake Road and operates 24 hours a day at a rate of $32 per hour.
A second 100 kW fast charger is expected to be available soon — to be located at the Prince of Wales Heritage Centre. It will make EV charging more accessible and efficient for residents and visitors, Northland Utilities and the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) stated in a joint announcement on Wednesday morning.
The new charger is compatible with a wide range of electric vehicles and accepts multiple forms of payment, including contactless.
“This initiative represents the collaborative efforts of Northland Utilities and GNWT to reduce carbon emissions from transportation and enable the adoption of more electric vehicles in Yellowknife and the Northwest Territories. One of the six strategic objectives of the 2030 Energy Strategy is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles by 10 per cent per capita,” the news release states.
While announcing the electric charger initiative in the territory last July, Infrastructure Minister Diane Archie indicated that the rollout would occur later in 2022.
From the previous communication with Vic Barr, manager with Northland Utilities, she said that the delay was due to supply chain issues.
Archie added, “We’re also working with other communities and electricity providers to install more EV chargers and establish a zero-emissions vehicle corridor in the territory. By supporting initiatives like this, we are contributing to a greener, more sustainable future for the NWT, and making buying an EV more viable for NWT residents, businesses and governments.”