Southern Colorado Co-op Launches New EV Station

Durango-based electric cooperative, La Plata Electric Association, partnered with Purgatory Resort to install a new EV fast-charging station for public use. This new station is part of the Colorado Energy Office’s EV fast-charging corridor project and completes the charging corridor that runs through LPEA’s service territory.

To launch the station, LPEA and Purgatory Resort hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, September 1.

“We are thrilled to have completed our portion of the statewide EV fast-charging corridor, which will allow EV drivers to traverse Colorado, from corner to corner, without range anxiety,” LPEA CEO Jessica Matlock said in a news release.

Installed with funds from Colorado Energy Office and LPEA, the station is open 24 hours per day and costs 30 cents per kilowatt hour. An idle fee of 30 cents per minute is also charged when a vehicle is left plugged in longer than 10 minutes after charging is complete. Unlike standard level 2 EV chargers, which take 3 to 8 hours for a full charge, level 3 DC fast chargers take less than 30 minutes.