As part of their progressive vision for electricity, Big Rivers is installing more than a dozen Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations at their new Owensboro headquarters opening Monday. Two of those will be for public use, including Level 2 and 3 stations to offer the market’s quickest and most powerful options.
According to Jennifer Keach, Big Rivers Director Communications & Community Relations, Monday will be the first day in the new headquarters facility for about 100 employees.
Keach said installing EV charging stations was always in the plan when designing the new headquarters. The quantity of stations and charging level types where determined early in the construction cycle.
“As an electric utility, Big Rivers’ business is electric generation with a progressive vision relating to the use of electricity,” Keach said. “We recognize the benefit of EVs, have included EVs in our fleet, plan to expand our use of electric vehicles, and recognize a public need for convenient charging stations.”
Westerfield Electric installed 10 Level 2 stations and two Level 3 stations in the Big Rivers parking lot for company-owned fleet EVs and employee-owned EVs. Those stations are expected to be in service in the coming weeks.
They are also adding a Level 3 charger on 2nd Street and a Level 2 charger Elm Street for public use. Both public stations will charge two vehicles at the same time. They are expected to be in service early in the second quarter of 2023.
According to Keach, Level 2 charging stations will generally charge an EV within 3 to 4 hours, while Level 3 stations will generally charge an EV within 30 to 40 minutes.
The new facility replaces the cooperative’s current headquarters complex at 201 Third Street in Henderson, constructed in three phases from 1966 to 1981. The new Owensboro construction consists of a four-story building, with the design “incorporating more modern meeting and collaboration spaces that match future utility needs,” according to Keach.
Keach said the move to Owensboro will position Big Rivers in a central location to reach all of its 22-county service territory, its three Member-Owner cooperatives, and key larger industrial customers.
Big Rivers Electric Corp. first announced they were moving the company’s corporate headquarters from Henderson to Owensboro in November 2020.
In February 2021, Owensboro City Commissioners approved an agreement to provide incentives to help offset some of the construction cost, including a full rebate of the downtown property purchase price. The agreement requires Big Rivers to retain its occupational headquarters in downtown Owensboro for 40 years.
The building is located at 700 West 2nd Street, immediately west of Boardwalk Pipeline Partners. In July 2021, Big Rivers President and CEO Bob Berry said they initially looked at a few sites to renovate but ultimately decided a fresh build was the best option.
“We looked at existing buildings, but we would have to give up some things that we wanted — it’s kind of like building a new home versus existing,” he said at the time. “Parking was a big deal to us. We wanted our own on-site parking.”
Berry also said in July 2021 that employees had already made plans to relocate — contributing to an estimated nearly $100 million impact on the Owensboro economy.
Berry said that number came from the Greater Owensboro Economic Development Corporation and includes a variety of factors including property and occupational taxes as well as a payroll of nearly $15 million per year. It also includes those employees doing personal business or shopping and eating at local restaurants.
Keach said company officials were excited to move in next week.
“Big Rivers is looking forward to this new chapter in our history,” she said. “We appreciate the kindness and warm welcome we’ve been given by Owensboro and the area’s businesses.”
