Whitingham planners discuss electrical service, EV charging and generator siting

Design consultants told the board the building's electrical service would be 208-volt three-phase and that a 480-volt charging station would be required to support heavy-duty electric trucks. Road Commissioner Stanley Janovsky questioned the need for 480V, arguing the town is unlikely to use an electric plow truck and that a high-voltage charging requirement might be unnecessary.

Members discussed how adding a charging-capable electrical service ties into generator sizing and site routing. Green Mountain Power had told the design team the site lacks 'safe, reliable, power' for the suppression system without on-site backup, which reinforced arguments for robust backup generation. The board also weighed generator siting near a brook and roof-runoff direction; consultants said the unit could be elevated or relocated but that moving it farther from the building increases cost.