Councils across Northern Ireland have secured support to help grow the e-charging network across the region.

Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon has set forth plans to allocate £350,000 match-funding within the Blue Green Infrastructure Fund.

Speaking more about the investment, Minister Mallon said: "Funding is available from the Office for Zero Emissions Vehicles (OZEV) for local councils to provide charge points for residents without off-street parking through the On-street Residential Charge Point Scheme (ORCS). I have set aside an allocation of £350,000 of match-funding within my department's Blue Green Infrastructure Fund, for councils that submit a successful application to the ORCS. This ORCS funding cannot be accessed by my Department, it is available to local councils and it is for them to apply individually or collectively.

"I would encourage local councils, where possible, to access this ORCS funding for the installation of charge points on residential streets. My Department has been working closely with councils to encourage them to take up that funding, and that work is ongoing.

-- Advertisement --

"I am writing to Councils to advise them of the availability of the £350,000 match funding, subject to public expenditure processes, if they are successful in drawing down ORCS funding from OZEV. I would again encourage councils to avail of the ORCS funding which provides a grant for 75% of the capital costs of procuring and installing charge points and associated dedicated parking bays."

Operated and maintained by the Electricity Supply Board (ESB), the e-car public charge point network helps support the decarbonisation of transport and help mitigate climate change.

Minister Mallon added: "I have met ESB representatives to encourage it to repair non-functioning charge points, and I am pleased that it has commenced a replacement programme that will upgrade a number of faulty charge points with more modern operational charge points. ESB has recently confirmed that it has completed the replacement of the first 15 charge posts (30 charge points) and has received very positive feedback. ESB has also advised that this work programme is being carried out in two phases with the second phase of 15 double-headed charge posts (30 charge points) to be carried out later in the year including 5 Rapid charge points.

"I have also provided match funding for the EU INTERREG-funded Facilitating a Sustainable Transition to EVs in the Regions (FASTER) electric vehicle network project, which will see the installation of additional Rapid charge points here."