Portsmouth eases rules for EV charging stations: Will it attract more to city?

PORTSMOUTH — It will now be easier for residents, businesses and developers to install electric vehicle charging stations in the city.

The City Council recently voted unanimously to pass EV charging station amendments aimed at increasing access to the chargers in Portsmouth.

Planning Manager Peter Stith told the council city staff has already seen the request for EV charging stations “increase with our site plans that come in.”

“People are adding them, we’re seeing that consistently, and we also see homeowners are adding them to their residential properties,” Stith said.

The amendments will expand the number of zoning districts in the city where EV charging stations can be located, both chargers that use residential electric service and others that use more powerful electric service, Stith said.

When the Planning Board began to review the EV amendments in November 2023, board members made changes aimed at taking a “broader approach to bring forth regulations that would not be outdated once they’re adopted.”

Where are EV charging stations in Portsmouth?

The city of Portsmouth currently has seven EV charging station terminals where residents and visitors can charge their electric vehicles.

There are two terminals in the High-Hanover parking garage near the Fleet Street entrance, two terminals in the City Hall lower parking lot and three in the city’s Foundry Place garage, which features two on the first level and one on the second.

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During the recent discussion on the EV amendments, City Councilor Vince Lombardi asked if the city has “the electrical infrastructure to implement this?”

Stith said “it depends where you are in the city.” He stated the city “definitely” has the capability for residential EV chargers, saying the electric current needed is “just standard.”

Lombardi asked about the higher voltage chargers. Stith acknowledged that in part of the downtown, it “might be a problem.”

Planning Director Peter Britz said the amendments give people and companies “the ability to put these stations in place.”

“There are places where there’s challenges, certainly downtown,” Britz added.

City Councilor Andrew Bagley said “in my work people need three phase power all the time, you go to Eversource and they say you can have it or no you can’t.”

Developers seeking to include EV stations in their development are required to get letters of approval from the electric companies, Stith said.

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City Councilor Josh Denton first introduced the EV amendments.

During a recent council meeting, he thanked city staff for their work on the initiative.

“I am pleased with the outcome and hopefully organizations will look to Portsmouth ... to start installing some Level 3 chargers,” Denton said.

Level 3 chargers are more typically known as fast charging EV charging stations.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Portsmouth opens door to more EV charging stations