By Shannon McFarlin News Director
Paris, Tenn.–The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) announced today that 12 entities will receive $5.2M in total grant funding to install fast-charging stations for electric vehicles and the Paris Utility Authority is one of the recipients.
Paris Utility Authority CEO Terry Wimberley said, “This is exciting for us. This is going to put Paris on the fast-charging map in Tennessee.”
State officials said the funding will go toward installing direct current fast-charging (DCFC) infrastructure for electric vehicles along prioritized interstate or major highway corridors across the state. The 12 projects across the state will involve the installation of 32 total charging units at 13 sites. It’s a partnership between TDEC and the Tennessee Valley Authority to develop a statewide EV fast-charging network along interstates and highways to power the growth of electric vehicles across Tennessee.
In Paris, Wimberley said, it will mean construction of two fast charging stations in downtown Paris.
Wimberley said the state’s goal is to construct fast-charging stations every 50 miles across the state of Tennessee at all major corridors.
In the local area, Hwy. 641 and Hwy. 79 have been identified as major corridors. The spot picked for construction of the two charging stations is the downtown parking lot at the corner of Blythe and Market Streets, he said. The portion of that parking lot that is closest to the post office is owned by the federal government, with the remainder of the lot owned by the city of Paris.
City officials have agreed to designate five current parking spots in the lot for construction of the stations, he said. “Our charging units would have to meet ADA and other space requirements,” he said.
The grants are applied on an 80/20 split, which means the Paris Authority would receive $300,000 from the state and pay a matching amount of $60,000. However, Wimberley said it is doubtful that the project would require that much to complete.
Electric Vehicle charging stations already in the local area include one behind the BPU office and one at the Nissan dealership. Another is in the works for the new The Lodge at Paris Landing. There also is infrastructure in place for one to be installed at the new Hampton Inn in Paris.
The fast-charging stations are designed for motorists who are on the road, he said, since it takes about 20 minutes to fully charge the vehicles. “It’s just a bit longer than your usual gas station stop but a lot less time than your regular charging stations which take about 8 hours,” Wimberley said. “Stopping at our fast-charging stations downtown will give the motorists some time in Paris and they could eat at our restaurants and shop downtown. The motorists wouldn’t be with us for a long time, but they would be able to spend some money in the local community while they’re here.”
The closest fast-charging stations to Paris would be Clarksville and Jackson, he noted, “so this is a really exciting opportunity for us. We wanted to take advantage of the grant monies available to us so we could do something good for the future and the community.”
Selected grantees include:
| City of Athens | Memphis Light, Gas and Water |
| BrightRidge (Johnson City) | Paris Utility Authority |
| Brownsville Energy Authority | Sequatchie Valley Electric Cooperative |
| Columbia Power and Water Systems | Smithville Electric System |
| City of Dayton | City of Springfield |
| EPB of Chattanooga | Tullahoma Utilities Authority |
In addition to the projects listed above, TVA anticipates funding 21 projects in Tennessee, which will include the installation of 56 total charging units at 27 sites. This investment is part of TVA’s broader Fast Charge Network that aims to reduce barriers to EV adoption by deploying fast chargers at least every 50 miles along the interstates and major highways across its 7-state service territory by 2026.
According to the TDEC press release, the competitive grant program comprises the state’s fourth solicitation for projects under the Volkswagen Diesel Settlement Environmental Mitigation Trust (VW Settlement EMT). The purpose of the EMT is to execute environmental mitigation projects that reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx). Of the funded charging infrastructure, 10 chargers at three sites will be installed in former nonattainment areas for ozone and/or fine particulates (PM2.5) under National Ambient Air Quality Standards.
“We are glad we can put these funds to use in ways that serve all motorists with electric vehicles,” said TDEC Commissioner David Salyers. “We are rapidly moving toward more electric vehicles on our roads, and this is a way to stay ahead of that demand.”
Photo: Close-up of the Paris BPU’s electric vehicle. Shannon McFarlin photo.