Alabama town embraces EV fast charging and welcomes new visitors to a revitalized downtown.

Fast charging station helps bring more people to a bustling Main Street.

Fort Payne, AL, the birthplace of Alabama (the legendary country music band) and Pete the Cat (the beloved blue children’s book character), has a new claim to fame: It’s home to the very first electric vehicle (EV) fast charging site in TVA’s regional Fast Charge Network.

Since Fort Payne’s fast charging station was installed in 2022, 46 chargers have been installed across the Tennessee Valley’s seven-state region. 

“We hope to double the size of the Fast Charge Network in 2024. Once completed, the network will include approximately 80 locations and 200 fast chargers,” said McKale Carter, an electric vehicle programs specialist at TVA EnergyRight^®.

The direct current (DC) fast charging stations in the network can charge an EV in 20-60 minutes. Organizations and businesses interested in having a fast charger installed should contact their local power company.

To learn more about charging, visit our website or check out our Charging 101 article on Driving Evolution, TVA EnergyRight’s EV blog.

Electrifying transportation, serving our region.

“If you consider the location of Fort Payne, between Atlanta and Huntsville, Chattanooga and Birmingham, it’s a crossroads,” said radio personality and Main Street hero Steve Malcom. 

Which makes the picture-perfect small town the perfect location for an EV fast charging station.

Ironically, charging your EV on Fort Payne’s thriving Main Street is a great way to step back in time and experience a slice of small-town USA while plugging into the future. While you charge up, be sure to top up on coffee at one of the local coffee shops, grab a bite to eat at any of the nearby restaurants, visit a one-of-a-kind museum or go shopping at one of the many stores on Main Street.

“Our original intention was to draw attention to our downtown area,” said Mike Shirey, general manager of the Fort Payne Improvement Authority. “We have definitely done that. We wanted to introduce people to Fort Payne so they could see what we’re so proud of.”

Fulfilling our mission, today and tomorrow.

“TVA was created with the mission to help electrify the Tennessee Valley. To bring electricity, and jobs, and do so in an environmentally responsible way,” said Drew Frye, a commercial energy services manager at TVA EnergyRight. 

“The Fast Charge Network is a program where we work with local power companies, state agencies and private companies and cities to help develop the foundational electric vehicle charging network. This really complements that mission,” noted Frye. “It’s really about innovation and bringing new technology to our region.”

Fort Payne’s fast charging station is part of the ChargePoint network. Creating an account is free, and downloading the ChargePoint app makes it easy to identify nearby chargers and pay. All Fast Charge Network sites are equipped with Combined Charging Standard (CCS) and CHAdeMO plugs. Cars equipped with the North American Charging Standard (NACS) can buy an adapter to charge at any site within the Fast Charge Network.

Working together to make things work.

TVA is collaborating with state agencies, local power companies and other partners to pave the way for EV adoption in the region. This includes developing the Fast Charge Network, which will place public fast chargers at least every 50 miles along the interstates and major highways across TVA’s seven-state service area by 2026. Once completed, the Fast Charge Network will include approximately 80 locations and 200 fast chargers.

Fort Payne’s fast charger was made possible through a partnership with TVA, local utility Fort Payne Improvement Authority, the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) and Seven States Power Corporation. TVA provided the DC fast chargers, and ADECA contributed state grant funding to install the chargers.

“We moved quickly to participate in this program because we want to make it easy for people to choose EVs so our community can enjoy the environmental and economic benefits of electric transportation,” said Fort Payne Improvement Authority’s general manager, Mike Shirey. “The support from TVA and grant funding from ADECA made it possible to add charging stations without affecting our customers’ bills.”

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About FPIA:

Fort Payne Improvement Authority is a municipal public corporation created in 1940 by public vote of the citizens of Fort Payne, Alabama. FPIA is one of 154 local power companies served by TVA and provides service to approximately 8,600 customers. FPIA is committed to providing its customers with a safe and reliable power source at the lowest practical cost. We value our customers and are committed to providing them with excellent customer service.