Electric School Bus Comes to Southern Colorado

Durango-based La Plata Electric Association collaborated with Durango School District 9-R to apply for a grant to purchase a fully-electric school bus and install the necessary charging infrastructure.

The district was awarded over $300,000 for the equipment through the grant from the Regional Air Quality Council’s ALT Fuels Colorado program. The grant to the school district was one of eight grants awarded out of 38 total applicants. LPEA will contribute an additional $120,000 to help cover costs.

Not only is this the first electric school bus for the school district, but it is also the first vehicle-to-grid installation in LPEA’s service territory. Using bi-directional charging, the bus can pull electricity from the grid to charge during off peak hours, and LPEA can pull electricity from the vehicle onto the grid during critical times when power is needed.

This innovative project will reduce diesel emissions and improve air quality.