Plan Approval Unlocks $11M for Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
SouthworksStock | Envato
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) approved the second National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program plan by the Alaska Energy Authority (AEA) and the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF). The approved plan means Alaska is eligible for an additional $11 million for installation of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations throughout the state. The funding is in addition to $19 million already allocated for fiscal years 2022 and 2023.
Alaska Exceptions Granted
The announcement of additional funding includes the approval of all discretionary exception requests. As a result, the plan that was open for public comment earlier this year, along with the sites selected as part of that plan, may be sufficient to build out Phase I, the corridor from Anchorage to Fairbanks, and will move the state closer to beginning Phase II.
“This funding is critical to our goal of minimizing and eliminating existing barriers to electric transportation adoption in Alaska,” says AEA Executive Director Curtis Thayer. “Expanding Alaska’s charging network will give EV drivers peace of mind and confidence, knowing that convenient charging stations await them when traveling for work, recreation, and tourism.”
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“We’re taking a measured approach, with our private sector partners and AEA,” says DOT&PF Commissioner Ryan Anderson. “The next phase will be to expand the system—we’re starting in our most urban areas then moving outward along our highways and eventually to our multimodal system.”
Phase I is focused on the build-out of NEVI-required stations along the designated electric Alternative Fuel Corridor (AFC) in Alaska, between Anchorage and Fairbanks. Stations built with NEVI formula funds must have at least four Combined Charging System (CCS) ports capable of 150 kW output each, for a combined station total power requirement of at least 600 kW. This means that at a minimum, four vehicles can charge at once. Some of the selected sites will have eight ports available for charging.
Once Alaska’s AFC is fully built out and meets FHWA criteria—which could take up to two years—AEA and DOT&PF will use NEVI Formula program funds to begin the next step. Phase II will focus on connecting small urban areas, rural communities on the road system, Alaska’s road system to Canada, and coastal communities located on the Alaska Marine Highway System.
The NEVI program was created as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and provides dedicated federal funding to states to support the strategic deployment of EV Level 3 Direct Current Fast Charging infrastructure and establish an interconnected network for reliable charging, with an emphasis on locations near interstate highway exits. Alaska is expected to receive $52 million over five years, but must annually submit updated plans to the FHWA on how it will spend the money.
Alaska’s NEVI Plan was developed by AEA and DOT&PF in collaboration with EV stakeholders, utilities, communities, and residents. Check out the updated Alaska EV Infrastructure Deployment Plan here for more information. For future community engagement opportunities, please visit
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