Castries, December 19, 2024 – St. Lucia Electricity Services Limited (LUCELEC) has officially launched its electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, a significant step in the country’s movement to a sustainable energy sector. The new EV chargers are strategically installed across the island to support and encourage the adoption of electric vehicles in Saint Lucia and are live and ready for use.
“This aligns with the company’s strategy of promoting sustainability in the energy sector,” says LUCELEC Senior Manager – Planning, Ormond Reece. “As we integrate more renewables into the energy mix, the electrification of the transport sector provides a great opportunity for the country to reduce its fossil fuel dependence, thereby improving the sustainability of our transport sector. The installation of the EV chargers, points to the company’s commitment to innovation and meeting the evolving needs of our customers.”
LUCELEC began its Electric Vehicle Charger project in 2020, led by Distribution Planning Engineer Garth George who oversaw it from design to installation, and now, commission.
“We got them installed towards the end of August 2024, then we had a period of testing where we opened it up to the public to try it out, so we are fully confident that the units are functional and now we are in the stage of formally launching the service to the general public,” says George.
The newly commissioned Flash Motors EV charging units use CCS2 charging plugs, which are the IEC European standard for right hand drive countries around the world. LUCELEC has installed a 50kW DC fast charger, a 22kW AC charger and six 11kW AC chargers with average charge times ranging from 20 minutes to seven hours. The charge time varies based on the charging speed and battery capacity of each electric vehicle.
EV owners can use the new chargers by downloading the Flash Charge app from the Google Play or Apple App Store. LUCELEC System Planning Engineer Quanley Marieatte explained that customers can follow the instructions to set up an account, add a credit card, and then scan the QR code on the charger or select the charger from the app to start charging.
Electric vehicle owners will benefit from the domestic rate of electricity, making it as cost-effective as charging at home, with the added convenience of fast charging on the go.
The EV chargers are located at the JQ Mall in Rodney Bay, Massy Stores in Dennery, the Soufriere Bus Terminal in Soufriere, and Beanfield in Vieux-Fort near the Vieux-Fort Library.
About LUCELEC
St. Lucia Electricity Services Limited (LUCELEC) was established in 1964. It is the only commercial generator, transmitter, and distributor of electrical energy in Saint Lucia. Over its history, LUCELEC has developed a reputation in the OECS and the wider Caribbean as an extremely well-run, world-class utility. In Saint Lucia, LUCELEC is without a doubt regarded as a best practice (model) company with a strong emphasis on customer service excellence, environmental stewardship, innovation, people development and social and economic development.
