Settlement Funds Electric Car Charging Network In California
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS)— The California Public Utilities Commission has negotiated a $120 million settlement with a New Jersey-based power company NRG Energy Inc. in which most of the money will go to fund an electric car charging network throughout the state.
Governor Jerry Brown made the announcement Friday that at least 200 public, fast charging electric stations and another 10,000 plug-in units would be installed in the San Joaquin Valley, Los Angeles Basin, San Diego County and here in the Bay Area.
The stations will be funded with $100 million from the settlement that stems from claims filed in 2001, during California's energy crisis, over the costs of long- term power contracts.
The settlement will be paid over the course of four years and will cost taxpayers nothing and according to Brown, the other $20 million will go toward reducing utility rates for customers.
Brown also signed an executive order to facilitate the use of millions of zero-emissions vehicles in the Golden State.
The order sets a target of major California cities having adequate infrastructure for zero-emissions vehicles by 2015 and a target of having 1.5 million zero-emissions vehicles on California's roads by 2025.
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