New electric vehicle fast charging station unveiled in Springfield

On April 25, officials with the City of Springfield gathered with members of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), and Seven States Power Corporation for the grand opening of a new electric vehicle (EV) fast charging station.

The ceremony began with remarks by Springfield Mayor Ann Williams, who expressed gratitude to the collaborative efforts of all project partners.

Other key figures that spoke included Springfield Electric Director Terry Resha, TDEC Deputy Director of External Affairs Tara Pedraza, Seven States Power Corporation Director of Technology Alignment Joe Knox, and TVA North Regional Vice President Justin Maierhofer, who all provided insight into the project’s significance.

“The station represents our commitment to embrace innovative solutions for the benefit of our community,” Springfield Electric Director Terry Resha said. “The station is also convenient to Highway 41 and will draw motorists to visit downtown businesses while their vehicles charge.”

The event concluded with an inaugural charge of two electric vehicles.

The new charging station, located at Springfield City Hall at 405 North Main Street, was made possible thanks to a Volkswagen Diesel Settlement Environmental Mitigation Trust Grant from TDEC.

According to a release from the City of Springfield, TDEC contributed approximately $250,000 to the project, while the city funded the remaining costs totaling approximately $50,000. Work to install the charging station officially began in March 2023.

“This is something exciting we’ve been working on for a couple of years,” City Manager Ryan Martin stated in March. “We began this process pursuing a state grant that was made available through the Volkswagen settlement for EV chargers. We threw our name in the hat and were rewarded one of those grants.”

Springfield was one of 12 municipalities or local government entities that received $5.2 million in total grant funding from the TDEC to install direct current fast charging (DCFC) infrastructure for electric vehicles along prioritized points across the state.

The 12 projects will involve the installation of 32 total charging units at 13 sites. The new charging station in Springfield is part of the Fast Charge TN Network, a partnership between TVA and TDEC to power the growth of EVs in Tennessee.

The Fast Charge TN installation is also part of the regional Fast Charge Network that will cover major travel corridors across TVA’s seven-state service area. It will also complement the broader efforts of the National Electric Highway Coalition, which seeks to enable long-distance EV travel by placing fast chargers along interstates and major highways throughout the United States.

Due to their expertise in EV charging technology, the city selected Seven States Power Corporation as the station’s vendor.  

“Seven States is trusted by local power companies across the Tennessee Valley to deliver EV charging technology for their consumers,” Seven States President and CEO Betsey Kirk McCall said. “Impactful partnerships like this benefit the local community, regional economy and global environment for years to come.”

While the charging station is available to the public, drivers will be required to pay a fee to utilize it. Residents can view the charging fee and learn more about the charging station at springfieldtn.gov/ev.

More information about Fast Charge TN can be found online at www.tn.gov/EVFastCharge.