Glendale to monitor impact of electric cars

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The first 100 people to buy an electric vehicle will get a $200 rebate from the city of Glendale in exchange for installing a special socket that will help measure the potential impact of more cars tapping into the power grid.

As plug-in electric vehicles become more popular, officials want to be prepared for the influx of energy use, so it’s requiring all electric-vehicle owners to install a special socket that will measure the effect on the power supply, said Ned Bassin, assistant general manager of customer and support services at Glendale Water & Power.

“We expect in the future there will be a lot of electric vehicles,” Bassin said.

That could take a toll on the city’s energy system without proper planning, officials say.

“It’s like adding a whole home to our distribution system,” Bassin said.

Electric-car buyers that want to charge their car faster must hire an electrician to install a 240-volt socket, for which the city will be installing special meters to measure the energy use. But the meters need a special connection that the electrician will be required to install — typically at a cost of $200 — hence the rebate offer. ALSO:

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--Britanny Levine, Times Community News

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