By Spencer Bates

On Jan. 26, Oswego Mayor Billy Barlow announced that several new electric car charging stations will be placed throughout the city.

The mayor has indicated five locations for six charging stations that will be installed including Breitbeck Park, Crisafulli Ice Rink, Fort Ontario Swimming Pool and West Second Street Five of the six locations will be considered “level two” stations, meaning that at these stations cars can be charged quickly and will be completely free for the general public to use. 

The sixth station will also be located on West Second Street but will be the product of a collaboration between the city and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). This station will be a first-of-its-kind in Oswego County with a high speed “level three” charger which will allow for cars to fully charge within 30 and 45 minutes depending on the model of the vehicle.

The city of Oswego purchased the charging stations and will partner with Livingston Energy Group for the installation of each. The installations are set to begin this week. Barlow spoke of the importance of keeping up with the times in regards to the charging stations.

“Our mission is to strategically position Oswego for success in the long term, and what better way to do that than to embrace the rise in popularity of electric vehicles and to better accommodate our residents who may already have electric vehicles,” Barlow said. “As we work to bring more people to our community, particularly our downtown and waterfront, and as the use of electric vehicles continue to increase, we need to provide fast charging stations to make Oswego accessible to those with electric vehicles. I expect these stations to be helpful to many people in our community and anticipates the requirements of a viable community five, 10 and 20 years from now.”

Barlow first delivered the concept of installing electric car charging stations in his 2022 State of the City Address as he continues to build on energy efficiency measures. The stations will cost the city around $150,000, however much of the cost will be covered by NYSERDA energy incentives. Oswego will also use $23,000 from a previously awarded grant by OMNI Solutions to cover the rest of the cost of the project. Michael Francis, President of OMNI Renewables touted the city’s dedication to clean energy when explaining the donation to the city.

“With the City of Oswego’s long-term commitment to upstate New York Community solar projects, we are excited to make this donation for its use towards the purchase and installation of the electric vehicle charging stations located around the city,” Francis said. “The investment in additional charging stations will greatly enhance the demand for more electric vehicles, providing meaningful progress towards the reduction of carbon emissions. Barlow and the City of Oswego is exhibiting strong leadership towards a cleaner and more sustainable future.”

The project comes during a time where New York has seen a spike in the registration of electric vehicles. According to NYSERDA’s Electric Vehicle Registration Map, in 2020 around 20,000 electric vehicles were registered in the state. Only a year later the number has nearly doubled to around 38,000 vehicles and since 2017 the number has nearly tripled. In Oswego County, with 283 electric vehicles registered, the lack of charging stations has made it so that there are nearly 23 vehicles per every level two station.

Previously, the city only had one charging station outside city hall. Heavy use of the station has also prompted Barlow’s investment in new stations. Oswego has recently been named a Clean Energy Community by NYSERDA after legislation has been passed to allow for an increase in renewable energy sources.

Despite the announcement from the mayor, the new charging stations in each of their locations will be installed and ready for use in April.

Image via Flickr