Great River Energy Program Prepares for Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles

ChargeWise will charge batteries with off-peak electricity

A new pilot program from Great River Energy and a number of its member distribution cooperatives will make it easier for people to transition from the gas pump to the plug-in.

Beginning this August Great River Energy’s member distribution cooperatives will have ChargeWise outlets available for installation in consumers’ garages to provide low-cost, off-peak energy for charging plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). The program is being developed in anticipation of the launch of several production PHEVs over the next two years.

The ChargeWise outlets will charge PHEV batteries between the hours of 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. when demand for electricity is at its lowest and the price for wholesale electricity is also at its lowest. Charging the batteries during these hours also allows Great River Energy to “store” wind energy allowing PHEVs to receive a significant amount of power from renewable sources.

“It’s cleaner, greener and cheaper than gasoline,” said Gary Connett, Great River Energy’s director of member services and demand side management. “As more wind energy is added to the electric grid, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles will get even greener.”

To help get the program started, Great River Energy and its member cooperatives will cover the cost up to $500 of the ChargeWise outlet installation for the first 50 qualified members who are owners of PHEVs.

Great River Energy’s member cooperatives currently offer several programs designed to maximize the use of electricity that is generated overnight, including off-peak “storage” water and space heating.

About Great River Energy
Great River Energy is a not-for-profit cooperative which provides wholesale electricity to more than 1.7 million people through 28 member distribution cooperatives in Minnesota and Wisconsin. With more than $2.8 billion in assets, Great River Energy is the second largest utility in the state, based on generating capacity, and the fifth largest generation and transmission (G&T) cooperative in the United States. Great River Energy’s member cooperatives range from those in the outer-ring suburbs of the Twin Cities to the Arrowhead region of Minnesota to the farmland of southwestern Minnesota. Great River Energy’s largest distribution cooperative serves more than 120,000 member-consumers; the smallest serves just over 2,400. For more information, visit www.greatriverenergy.com.

The Minnesota electric distribution cooperatives that will offer the ChargeWise pilot program starting in August include:
Arrowhead Electric Cooperative, Inc., Lutsen
BENCO Electric Cooperative, Mankato
Brown County Rural Electrical Association, Sleepy Eye
Connexus Energy, Ramsey
Cooperative Light & Power, Two Harbors
Dakota Electric Association, Farmington
East Central Energy, Braham
Goodhue County Cooperative Electric, Zumbrota
Itasca-Mantrap Cooperative, Park Rapids
Kandiyohi Power Cooperative, Willmar
Lake Country Power, Grand Rapids
Lake Region Electric Cooperative, Pelican Rapids
McLeod Cooperative Power Association, Glencoe
Mille Lacs Energy Cooperative, Aitkin
Nobles Cooperative Electric, Worthington
North Itasca Electric Cooperative Inc., Bigfork
Runestone Electric Association, Alexandria
Stearns Electric Association, Melrose
Steele-Waseca Cooperative Electric, Owatonna
Todd-Wadena Electric Cooperative, Wadena

Contacts

Great River Energy
Therese LaCanne, 763-445-5710
tlacanne {at} grenergy(.)com