Belleville Schools Will Let Public Use New Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

BELLEVILLE, NJ — Need a charge for your electric car? The Belleville Public School District has you covered.

The district recently announced that it is opening 20 electric vehicle charging stations at schools and other facilities across the township. The charging stations will be available for public use during non-school hours for a fee.

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Here are some things that drivers should know if they plan to get a charge at one of the new stations:

• Charging stations are located at School 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 and 10, Belleville Middle School, Belleville High School, and Hornblower Early Childhood Center
• The district's charging stations are available for public use during the following non-school hours: Weekdays: 4 to 10 p.m.; Weekends: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Community members can access the stations using the EVoke Systems mobile application, which allows users to initiate and manage their charging sessions. The charging rate is $2 per session plus $0.39 per kilowatt-hour (kWh).

According to the district, the project was made possible through two complementary funding sources, with NJDEP/EZ Ride supporting the purchase of the EV charging stations, and PSE&G's Charging Incentive Program funding the electrical infrastructure necessary to bring them online.

"This project is a great example of how our schools can serve as resources for the entire Belleville community," Superintendent Erick Alfonso said.

"We are proud to make this infrastructure available to our residents while continuing to find meaningful ways to make our schools and operations more sustainable," Alfonso said.

"This is exactly the type of opportunity we look for — leveraging outside funding to make an improvement to our facilities that also provides a direct benefit to the community," agreed Tina Iaccheo, assistant superintendent of business administration/board secretary.

Other recent sustainability projects in Belleville's schools have included participation in an energy demand response program, an energy audit conducted through Rutgers, green purchasing practices including environmentally responsible cleaning products, technology life-cycle management and electronics recycling efforts, and initiatives through the district's food service program such as increased use of locally grown produce.

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