Program Overview
The goal of the Electric Vehicle ("EV") Make-Ready Program ("EV Make-Ready Program") is to support the development of electric infrastructure and equipment necessary to accommodate an increased deployment of EVs within New York State by reducing the upfront costs of building charging stations for EVs. Through this EV Make-Ready Program, entities seeking to install or participate in the installation of Level 2 ("L2") and/or Direct Current Fast Charging ("DCFC") chargers can earn incentives that will offset a large portion of, or in some cases, all of the infrastructure costs associated with preparing a site for EV charger installation.
Program at a Glance
- Supports CLCPA goals as well as New York State’s zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) goal of deploying 850,000 electric vehicles across the state by 2025.
- Total program budget is $701 million, $601 million allocated to support Make-Ready Programs by the New York Joint Utilities.
- $206 million must directly benefit disadvantaged communities. Disadvantaged communities are defined as communities that bear burdens of negative public health effects, environmental pollution, impacts of climate change, and possess certain socioeconomic criteria, or comprise high concentrations of low- and moderate-income households.
What's Included
Take advantage of the make-ready incentives available through your utility to help install EV charging.
Light-Duty EV Make-Ready Program
Available Incentives
You may be eligible for up to 100% of the electric infrastructure costs associated with new non-residential EV charging stations. Working with your utility to install EV charging stations will also reduce your organization's time investment by providing a dedicated point of contact and streamlined, step-by-step experience installing your electric vehicle charging stations.
How to Participate
Your utility is here to help you make the switch to electric by helping bring down the cost of installing EV charging stations. Here’s how it works:
Get Started
- Learn about the Program and determine your eligibility by reading the resources available on this website or contacting your utility below.
- Connect with your utility, we can answer your questions and help you find an Approved Contractor and apply for the Program. Utility contact information is provided below.
- Select an Approved Contractor who will partner with the customer to install the right EV solution on site. Approved Contractors can walk you through the details and the application process and complete construction.
- Apply to become an Approved Contractor through the JU if you are an electrical contractor who is interested in installing EV charging stations under the Make-Ready Program.
Utility Resources
Below you can access each company’s EV Make-Ready Program landing pages where customers can find more information and resources to apply for the MRP. If you have questions or need assistance with the MRP, please email your utility at the correct address below.
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Central Hudson |
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Con Edison |
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National Grid |
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NYSEG |
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RG&E |
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Orange and Rockland |
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Program Key Dates
What is the start date of the program?
The official start of the program is the date of the Commission Order 7/16/2020.
When are the incentive values set?
The incentive values are set by the calendar year when the application is deemed complete.
When is an application considered complete?
Program applications are to be deemed complete at the latter of when the station owner/developer provides proof of a building permit, or when the developer provides a CIAC payment for excess distribution facilities, if applicable. Program applicants should work with their respective utility to complete all necessary application materials and provide supporting documentation to the application.
Are charging station installations already in progress at the start date eligible for the incentive?
No. Construction of the EV charging station must have commenced no sooner than 7/16/2020.
Equipment Eligibility
What kinds of plugs are eligible?
All of them, with caveats. In the July Order, the Commission clarified that where a proprietary plug type is co-located at a station with an equal number of commonly accepted non-proprietary plug types, defined as SAE CCS, of equal or greater charging capacity, that station shall be eligible for the 90 percent make-ready incentive. However, where a station with proprietary plug types is not co-located with an equal number of commonly accepted standardized plug types of equal or greater charging capacity, that station shall be eligible for the 50 percent make-ready incentive. Stations with an unequal number of proprietary and non-proprietary plug types may be evaluated at different tiered incentive levels. The number of plugs eligible for incentives at stations with more than one plug, are the number of plugs capable of simultaneously charging at 50kW or greater.
What does it mean to be co-located?
For the purposes of this program, the non-proprietary plug needs to be located on the same parcel or an immediately adjacent parcel for the proprietary plugs to be eligible for the incentive.
Do all of the plugs need to be installed at the same time?
No, however they must meet the timelines included in the utility’s program, such as 60 days to pay the CIAC or one year to complete the installation. Incentives will not be paid out until all plugs are installed. Applicants should work with their utility to understand the timelines and qualifications for an incentive to be paid out.
What methods of payment must be available for a station to qualify?
To ensure maximum accessibility of charging stations by the public, stations eligible for an incentive under this program must be usable without requiring a paid membership in a charging station network. Networked stations that offer single per-use charging fees payable through a commonly accepted payment method such as cash, credit, or debit will satisfy this criterion. While payment through a smartphone application is permitted, in order to qualify as publicly accessible for purposes of this program, it may not be the only form of payment a DCFC station accepts.
For the proprietary plugs – their current payment methods is considered acceptable if they have posted a 1 (800) number to take credit card payments. For the co-located non-proprietary plug, we are requiring that this plug have a commonly accepted payment method such as cash, credit, or debit.
Are bollards eligible?
No.
Are rectifying cabinets eligible?
No.
Is customer-owned sub-metering equipment eligible?
No.
Are permitting, design, and project management costs eligible?
Soft costs such as these associated with installing qualified equipment are eligible. Your utility will require documentation of these costs upon project completion.
Is there a maximum number of plugs that is eligible for an incentive?
There is no limit for L2 plugs, but there is a site-specific maximum of ten (10) plugs for DCFC sites. Fast charging sites with more than 10 plugs are allowed only if developing the site does not cause the utility to incur new business costs greater than those that would have been incurred to develop a site with a maximum demand of 2 MW. This will be assessed after your utility conducts an engineering analysis.
Will my Utility require easements for new utility structures such as pad mounted transformers?
No.
For projects located in New York City, are we able to choose a pad mount transformer rather than an underground transformer to avoid the need for NYC DOT underground transformer approval?
It depends on the type of grid infrastructure where the station is being built (i.e. network vs non- network). Typically, the option for transformers in network areas is to install in-vault, which means some coordination with NYC DOT may be necessary.
Application and Process
How do I start?
Participants must apply to the Program through the utility in whose electric service territory the proposed EV charging station will be located. You can learn all about the program and apply by your Utility program website, which can be found in the Utility Resources section above.
What should be included in a site plan?
While requirements may vary by utility, the site plans should likely include the following items:
- Satellite image of the site
- Site address as well as any adjacent main roads
- Planned location of all chargers and relevant equipment
- Location of electrical panel serving the EV charger
- Proposed location of EV charger
- Proposed location of electrical infrastructure to EV charger, including distance
- Indicate whether asking for new point of entry
- Include approximate distance from the nearest curb line with streets labeled
- Indicate whether the customer will be installing a property line manhole (if applicable)
- Notes and other information to assist with evaluating the proposal
Are there rough guidelines I can use to estimate make-ready incentive levels?
The incentive determination depends on a variety of factors which vary from site to site including whether or not the project includes utility side costs, the number of plugs, the site configuration, and the type of plugs. Contact your Utility to discuss project specifics.
Contractors
Does every single contractor I hire for my customer-side work need to be on the Approved Contractor list?
No. Only the general contractor needs to be on the list. Individual subcontractors such as electricians or civil contractors do not need to be on the list. However, the Participant is responsible for ensuring that all work meets local and state code requirements.
Incentive Tier
Can proprietary L2 plugs be eligible for up to 90% incentive if they co-locate with non-proprietary L2s?
Yes, as long as there are as many or more non-proprietary plugs as the proprietary plugs.
Can proprietary L2 plugs be eligible for up to 100% incentive if they are at a multi-family building in a Disadvantaged Community?
No.
How can I tell if my project site is in a Disadvantaged Community?
You should reference your utility’s EV Hosting Capacity Maps via the EV Make Ready Program landing page, which can be found in the Utility Resources section above.
Project Eligibility
My site is not in the service territory for any of the six Joint Utilities and does not have an active Joint Utility meter (i.e. I have a municipal electric utility. Would chargers at my site be eligible for this program?
No, unless the site is served by NYPA.
Construction on my project began after July 16, 2020, but I hired my contractor and work was completed before my contractor was included on the Approved Contractor list. Is my project eligible for incentives?
Yes, as long as the contractor is on the Approved Contractor list at the time of program agreement signing and your project otherwise meets the program requirements.
Can we apply for funding for projects that are already well advanced, including those already in construction?
Yes, as long as construction began after July 16, 2020. This date requirement applies to actual construction work, not building permit dates.
I am updating an existing charging station with new equipment. Is this eligible?
Please contact your utility to discuss the specifics of your project and they can determine if it is eligible. You can find a utility contact email under Utility Resources.
Operating Requirements
For how long will my project be required to meet the operating requirements of the program?
For five years from the date of your post-construction approval.