Marine Corps Logistics Base (MCLB) Albany in Georgia soon will be able to accommodate the simultaneous charging of up to 96 electric vehicles, thanks to the installation of 21 EV charging stations at nine locations across the base.
The project, supported by an innovative partnership with National Electric Highway Coalition member Georgia Power, will be a model for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to use across the country in partnering with local electric companies to design, construct, own, operate, and maintain electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE). It is the first-ever turnkey EVSE solution under the General Services Administration Areawide Contract (AWC).
This also is the first time the AWC will be used to provide a holistic and scalable EVSE solution to support both current and future electrification requirements.
The AWC allowed MCLB Albany to take advantage of Georgia Power’s Make Ready program to accelerate their project plans and to maximize federal funding. Through the Make Ready program, Georgia Power owns, installs, and maintains the electrical infrastructure up to the charger. In addition to this infrastructure, Georgia Power extended their services by providing a comprehensive “Charging as a Service” solution, further assisting the base in fulfilling all their EV charger needs.
"This modernized energy infrastructure will support our mission and lessen our dependence on fossil fuels," said Meredith Berger, assistant secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations, and Environment and Chief Sustainability Officer. "Innovative partnerships and solutions like this make our installations more survivable and the communities they are a part of more resilient."
"This is a great partnership with Georgia Power as the DoD looks into the future. We need to prepare the base and Marine Corps to support a future electric vehicle fleet," said MCLB Albany Commanding Officer Colonel Michael Fitzgerald.
Electric companies across the country are accelerating transportation electrification and helping large customers, like the military, achieve their electrification and carbon reductions goals.
"In addition to being essential for national defense, our nation's military bases are powerful economic engines for surrounding communities, providing jobs and driving thriving local economies," said Chris Cummiskey, executive vice president, Chief Customer Solutions and Chief Commercial Officer for Southern Company, Georgia Power’s parent company. "MCLB Albany is a forward-looking military base dedicated to energy innovation and planning for the future, and we're proud of our continued partnership. As the new EV charging stations open across the installation this year, we know the investment that is being made today will benefit the base for years to come."
