Verendrye Electric Cooperative is teaming up with Enerbase Cooperative Resources to install one of the first level 3 electric car chargers in North Dakota. The charger will be located in north Minot at the Enerbase Travel Plaza off U.S. Highway 83.

“We’re excited to team up with Verendrye Electric to bring fast car charging to Minot,” said Tony Bernhardt, general manager of Enerbase. “With their expertise in electricity and our facility, this is the perfect opportunity for cooperation among cooperatives.”

Plans are to have the charger installed this summer.

There are currently no level 3 chargers in North Dakota, but there are plans for about a dozen of them to be installed this year in multiple cities. A level 3 charger can charge a car to 80 percent of its battery capacity in 30 minutes using over 60,000 watts of power.

The cooperatives received approval of a grant from the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality to pay for 80 percent of the estimated $72,000 cost of the project.

Verendrye has added a Chevy Bolt, an electric car, to its fleet. The car will be used for Verendrye’s day-to-day business and will be a learning tool showcased at events and schools.