A New Electric Vehicle charging station near Interstate 94 in Fergus Falls will be among the largest in the state.
The utility collaborated with Tesla to build a site with 10 fast charging ports and chargers that will accommodate three different charging connectors used on various EVs, explained project manager Luke Meech.
Luke Meech, Customer Technology Specialist for Otter Tail Power shared, ” we’re very excited”.
Luke went on to say that this marks one of 11 EV charging locations Otter Tail Power is constructing across western Minnesota.
EV charging stations will span from Hallock in the northwest to Lake Benton in the southwest.
Meech said this is due to the infrastructure gap and the limited private investment available.
Otter Tail recognized an opportunity to fill this gap.
The Fergus Falls location, conveniently situated off I-94, shares a parking lot between Perkins and Taco Bell.
This charging site reflects a shift toward larger and more powerful EV charging stations, especially along heavily traveled routes.
Meech disclosed that constructing this site cost $750,000, with expenses shared between Otter Tail and Tesla, partially offset by a $50,000 state grant.
However, supply chain limitations caused an 18-month delay in obtaining the necessary equipment.
Unfortunately it seems at this time that equipment delays will persist in the short term, with a three-year waiting period reported for some electrical transformers needed to supply power to charging sites.