Direct Current Fast-Charging Plazas Grant

The Direct Current Fast-Charging Plazas Grant is administered by the Colorado Energy Office (CEO) in partnership with the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT). It is part of the state’s ongoing efforts to support electric vehicle (EV) adoption and expand charging infrastructure throughout Colorado. This program is aligned with the state's EV Plan and NEVI deployment strategy, targeting access expansion for high-speed electric vehicle charging across rural, urban, and corridor communities. The initiative is funded through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program and the Community Access Enterprise (CAE), reflecting a coordinated investment in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and fostering clean transportation options statewide. The DCFC Plazas program provides $17 million in total funding to support the installation of direct current fast-charging infrastructure. Each site must have at least four charging ports, each capable of delivering a minimum of 150kW simultaneously, with priority given to projects incorporating 350kW capabilities. Incentives are awarded per port and vary by location type: $75,000 in the Denver Metro Area, $100,000 in Front Range Urban areas, and $125,000 in Rural locations. Enhanced incentives up to $45,000 per site are available for projects incorporating Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), with requirements based on battery capacity. A cost match is required and ranges up to 80% depending on location. Incentive reimbursements are subject to project costs and may not exceed the allowable cap. Eligibility for the grant includes a broad range of entities such as businesses, nonprofits, government agencies, tribal governments, and public institutions. All projects must be located in Colorado and deliver publicly accessible charging. Applicants are strongly encouraged to address community access needs, particularly in underserved areas or locations identified as high-priority gaps. Projects are evaluated based on alignment with program goals, quality of design, pricing structure, strategic partnerships, sustainability, and their ability to meet NEVI or CAE objectives. Applications must be submitted online through the CEO grant portal and are due by December 5, 2025, at 5:00 PM MT. The application round opens on October 27, 2025. A formal Q&A period will run until November 7, 2025, with responses published by November 14. Required components include detailed site plans, utility confirmation, cost breakdowns, equipment specifications, and maintenance and warranty documentation. All sites are expected to be completed within 24 months of contract execution. Grant recipients are required to submit quarterly and final reports, including data on site usage, outages, and customer feedback. Those awarded NEVI funding must comply with federal requirements, including Buy America, Davis-Bacon wage laws, and NEPA environmental reviews. All grantees commit to a five-year operation period and must meet a minimum 97% uptime requirement per port. Questions may be directed to Program Manager Tori Petersen at tori.petersen@state.co.us or (303) 866-2128.

Proposals that incorporate future-proofing, strategic partnerships, amenities access, and equity considerations will be prioritized. Ensure utility coordination and meet NEVI compliance for higher competitiveness.