Photo provided by Rappahannock Electric Cooperative.
At Virginia Clean Cities, we are proud to highlight the impactful work done by our stakeholders in advancing the reach of clean transportation. One recent success story comes from the Rappahannock Electric Cooperative and its work on the Charge Up Louisa project in Louisa, Virginia.
Resulting from a concerted effort by REC, residents of Louisa County can now access public charging stations for the first time in town history. More specifically, Vividly Brighter, REC’s wholly owned subsidiary, partnered with Louisa Chamber of Commerce, the Town of Louisa, and the Louisa Forward Foundation to establish these new charging stations in the community of Louisa.
The Louisa Chamber of Commerce played a key role by actively seeking project partners like REC and Dominion Energy to professionally and expertly support the installation of new infrastructure into the town. As a part of a Virginia Department of Housing and Urban Development urban revitalization program, Main Street America, the Louisa Forward Foundation also provided these energy organizations with the community tools necessary to implement charging stations in the areas that needed them most. Ultimately, this local support led to REC’s full funding and installation of two dual-port Level 2 charging stations in two locations across town, Louisa Arts Center and Frosties Rail Stop.
In March of 2024, community leaders gathered in Louisa at the Louisa Arts Center, the site of the two new Level 2 chargers, to commemorate the progress that was made with this project. With speakers like Peter Muhoro, the Chief Strategy, Technology & Innovation Officer, and Casey Hollins REC’s Managing Director of Communications and Public Relations, the event emphasized the collaboration and community partnership displayed by both organizations.
In 2024, the REC won over $120,000 in grant funding, resulting in the building of three Level 2 charging stations in the sparsely populated municipalities of Caret and Doswell. Funded through the Electric Vehicle Charging Assistance Program (EVCAP), REC implemented these projects on behalf of the Virginia State Energy Office and VCC, bringing charging stations to areas that may have been previously had none.
Interested in learning more about REC’s involvement in Charge Up Louisa? Reach out to Tracy Clark, Executive Director of the Louisa County Chamber of Commerce, at executivedirector@louisachamber.org.
Stay tuned for more success stories as Virginia Clean Cities and partners like REC work together to advance sustainable transportation solutions across the Commonwealth.