By Joe Stewart

New electric vehicle charging stations have been installed at Wrentham’s Center School Lot.  Gregory Enos, Wrentham’s Assistant Town Manager/Director of Human Resources, in an email exchange shared that Wrentham’s Center School Lot will have four spots to charge electric vehicles with Level 3 chargers.  There are a few remaining tasks such as configuring the software and electricity activation, both of which are expected to be completed by the end of May.  Wrentham hopes to have the chargers go live sometime in June.    

According to East Coast Renewable Energy (ECR), which donated the chargers to Wrentham, Level 3 charging stations are also known as DC fast chargers and they provide rapid charging capabilities, allowing electric vehicles to charge up to 80% in just 20-30 minutes.  Nicholas Valorie, president of ECR, noted that charging rates depend upon a number of factors, such as battery capacity and temperature.  ECR provides services spanning EV charging, community solar, and solar installation for both residential and commercial clients.

Enos noted that the project was heavily subsidized by National Grid incentives and that all proceeds from the sales of electricity through the chargers go to Wrentham, which approved a revolving fund to pay for the electricity, administration costs, and other fees at the fall Town Meeting.

In an interview, Valorie shared that “Wrentham made the right move” in quickly approving the project - he noted that the level 3 charger incentives were fully consumed in just 11 months leaving many communities unserved.  Level 2 charger incentives remain and are best suited for locations where charging can take place over a couple hours such as recreation fields, housing complexes, and schools.  

Enos shared that Wrentham is also installing two chargers at Town Hall.  That project is in the design phase, and he hopes to have those chargers up and running by the end of the summer.  Valorie clarified that these charges will also be level 3 chargers.

Wrentham has EV charging stations available at the Wrentham Village Premium Outlets, which offers eight chargers, and at the Interstate Travel Plaza on Washington Street, which offers two chargers.