Puget Sound Energy (PSE) has installed a pole-mounted public charging station and a 240 kW fleet charger for the fire department in Redmond, Washington, the utility said in a press release dated October 20, 2026. The utility also offers up to $250,000 in incentives per charging location for cities, agencies, school districts, transit agencies and businesses.
What PSE Installed
The pole-mounted chargers attach to utility poles and streetlight infrastructure, which lets the utility site chargers where conventional installations are harder or costlier. The new public site is near Marymoor Park. The chargers use retractable cords that stay raised until a session starts, which PSE says keeps sidewalks clear and reduces vandalism. Similar sites recently opened in Issaquah and Yelm, with another planned in Tumwater.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Public charger | Pole-mounted, Redmond, near Marymoor Park |
| Fleet charger | 240 kW, Redmond Fire Department |
| Incentive | Up to $250,000 per charging location |
| Registered EVs in Redmond | Nearly 8,800, about one per four homes |
Why It Matters
The release cites National Renewable Energy Laboratory research that roughly one quarter of residents cannot charge at home. The 240 kW charger supports an electric fire engine that the city bought in February, which PSE describes as the first in the state; the city estimates it will avoid about 1,800 gallons of diesel a year. The charger is part of PSE’s Up & Go Electric for Fleet program.
What It Means
Utility-led programs increasingly pay for charging at sites that cannot charge at home: streets, public fleets and depots. Site hosts planning applications should expect requirements for networked, remotely managed equipment. Our EV-AC03201T dual-connector AC station (two Type 2 connectors, OCPP 1.6J, RFID) suits shared parking, and the EV-RHDC30K-L compact DC charger (about 20–30 kW, OCPP 1.6J) fits sites that need faster top-ups. See our commercial charging solutions for project options.
Related Reading
- EV Charging News: Seattle Plans Up to 200 Curbside Level 2 Chargers by 2030
- EV Charging News: New Jersey Opens $25 Million Take Charge Program for Private Fleet Charging
- EV Charging News: New South Wales Offers A$16.5 Million for Kerbside and Fleet Chargers
Key Takeaways
- PSE installed a pole-mounted public charger in Redmond, Washington.
- A 240 kW charger now supports the city fire department’s electric fire engine.
- PSE offers up to $250,000 in incentives per charging location.
- About one quarter of residents cannot charge at home, per NREL research cited by PSE.
