PGE & Milwaukie Partner to Expand Electric Vehicle Charging

Portland General Electric (PGE) and the City of Milwaukie recently announced plans to partner on the addition of a new Electric Avenue charging hub in the heart of downtown by the end of this year. 

The new charging hub is part of PGE’s Transportation Electrification plan that is designed to advance Oregon’s transition to a clean energy future with new electric transportation options for car owners and mass transit riders.

“Transportation electrification is key to a sustainable future and providing robust charging facilities is a great first step for us to take towards the realization of our climate action plan,” said Mayor Mark Gamba. ”We’re excited to partner with PGE in a variety of ways as we pursue our aggressive goal of being a Net Zero City by 2040.”

Transportation is the largest source of carbon emissions in Oregon, making an electrified transportation system critical to a carbon-free economy.

“This new charging hub is part of our larger effort to increase access to electricity as a transportation fuel for our entire region,” said Maria Pope, president and CEO of PGE. “Under the leadership of Mayor Gamba, the City of Milwaukie is taking progressive steps to address climate change. Partnerships like ours demonstrate how the whole community, working together, will create a clean energy future.”

The newest Electric Avenue will be on Highway 99E, between SE Jackson and Monroe Streets, a location strategically selected for its high use and visibility to expand access to and awareness of the benefits of driving electric. With six ports, charging options will be available for any type of EV. Charging fees will be $5 for a quick charge and $3 for a standard charge. An optional charging membership will also be available at $25 per month, waiving the per charge fees. Construction is scheduled to begin late summer.

Five additional charging hubs are called for in PGE’s plan, which was approved earlier this year by the Oregon Public Utility Commission. Approval of the plan followed Governor Kate Brown’s executive order issued in November 2017, which established a goal of 50,000 registered electric vehicles in Oregon by 2020.

PGE’s original Electric Avenue—now located at its World Trade Center headquarters—was designed to pilot innovative station layouts, signage and pricing structures. Since its installation in October 2015, it has charged more than 1.25 million miles of driving, avoiding more than 515 metric tons of CO².