The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities has approved a settlement that will enable PSE&G to develop electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure in New Jersey. With this approval, the state’s largest utility is expected to invest $166 million over an expected six years and create about 270 direct clean energy jobs while helping to build out the state’s EV charging infrastructure.
PSE&G’s investments are designed to increase the availability of vehicle charging and ease range anxiety. Many drivers cite the lack of convenient charging options as the top reason they are reluctant to switch to EVs. Cars, trucks and buses are the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions in the state, and the New Jersey Energy Master Plan prioritizes electrifying the transportation sector as a key strategy to improve the state’s air quality and reduce health care costs.
“EV adoption is critical to meeting New Jersey’s clean energy goals,” says Karen Reif, vice president of PSE&G’s renewables and energy solutions group. “The scarcity of public and private charging infrastructure discourages more people from driving EVs. PSE&G’s program will address those concerns and is designed to encourage people to make the switch to clean-running EVs and to help New Jersey enjoy the environmental and health benefits that will result from electrifying the transportation sector.”
Making it easier to charge and drive EVs is another step toward achieving Gov. Phil Murphy‘s clean energy vision for the state. PSE&G’s EV investment program includes supporting the infrastructure for residential charging equipment, EV chargers at multifamily buildings, government facilities and public parking lots, as well as fast-charging infrastructure along high-traffic corridors such as the New Jersey Turnpike and Garden State Parkway. The program also includes provisions for discounted charging during off-peak hours. The utility will not own EV chargers but instead will support the infrastructure needed to place chargers throughout its service territory.
PSE&G’s program recognizes the widespread benefits of EVs, including cleaner air, by displacing internal combustion engines. According to the American Lung Association, the widespread transition to zero-emission transportation technologies, including EVs, could lead to emissions reductions that could help New Jersey avoid premature deaths, prevent asthma attacks and lost work days, and yield close to $2 billion in avoided health costs in 2050.
For more details on PG&E’s planned EV charging infrastructure investment, click here.