The city of Batavia and the Batavia Public Library have opened four new Level 3 electric vehicle fast chargers at the library, now available for public use around the clock.

The project was funded in part by a $320,000 Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Driving a Cleaner Illinois Grant, officials announced in a news release. It was administered under the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act.

The Batavia Electric Utility secured the funding, which supports the installation and maintenance of these publicly available EV charging stations. This advances Illinois’ statewide electrification goals, the release stated.

“Over the last couple of years, we’ve seen steady growth in the number of residents installing home EV chargers, and we’re excited to now offer fast Level 3 charging for both residents and visitors,” Steve Allen, superintendent of the Batavia Electric Utility, stated in the release. “The IEPA grant played a key role in helping us advance our strategic goals and expand access to electric vehicle charging.”

The Batavia Public Library, 10 S. Batavia Ave., was selected for the charging stations because the site met grant eligibility requirements and reflects the long-standing partnership between the library and the city.

Under a site host agreement, the city managed the installation and will oversee the operation and maintenance of the charging stations. The library will maintain the parking spaces.

In October, the city installed four level 3 fast chargers for public use at Batavia High School, 1201 Main St., according to the release.

“The library was glad to partner with the city of Batavia by providing space on our campus for the EV charging stations,” Batavia Library Director Josephine Tucci stated in the release. ”This project shows how working together across agencies can deliver real benefits to the community without adding costs for the Library.”

The city partnered with M3 Electrical Contracting for the project and the electric utility staff did the electrical and offsite utility work.

The total cost is approximately $575,000, with the Batavia Electric Utility covering the non-grant funded expenses, the release stated.

The chargers are Level 3 DC fast chargers with four Combined Charging System Type 1 ports.

The chargers power up to 240 kilowatts when one port is in use, 120 kilowatts per port when two are in use, the release stated.

A kilowatt, which is 1,000 watts, is a measure of how much power an electric appliance consumes.

The charging time is 30 to 45 minutes for a full charge at a cost of 50 cents per kilowatt hour, a unit of energy measuring electricity consumption. Costs are payable via app or card reader, the release stated.

After charging is complete, drivers have a 30-minute grace period before a $1-per-minute fee applies, up to 120 minutes, according to the release.

The city of Batavia is continuing to expand its EV infrastructure, including rebates for home charger installations. More information is available online at bataviail.gov/electric.