Rural electric companies are bracing for how the push toward electric vehicles could impact the grid.
Rural Electric Convenience Cooperative in Central Illinois told Brownfield it is investing where there are shortfalls in power to help prevent any outages.
Some residential areas pose a challenge for extensive rebuilds because it could require the installation of new underground cables or larger lines. Cobank suggests it could cost these co-ops anywhere between $1,700 to $5,800 in upgrades per vehicle. In turn, that would result in a 12 percent increase in home energy costs.
