Traverse City Light & Power adds four fast EV chargers at Brewery Creek

Traverse City Light & Power has added four DC fast chargers at Brewery Creek in Greilickville, a visible new stop on the west side of M-22 near Cedar Street, across from the Elmwood Township Marina and the Greilickville Harbor waterfront. The chargers can deliver a substantial charge in as little as 30 to 45 minutes, depending on vehicle type and battery condition, which gives drivers time to use nearby businesses instead of waiting on a slow overnight-style refill.

The site sits under a 10-year agreement between TCLP and Elmwood Township and became part of the utility’s TCEV Network. TCLP said it chose Brewery Creek after evaluating several potential locations for visibility, access, proximity to local amenities and gaps in the charging network. The utility also said the installation cost Elmwood Township nothing.

The project was funded through TCLP’s previously approved agreement with General Motors, and it may also qualify for reimbursement through the federal Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Credit direct pay program, which could cover up to 40 percent of eligible project costs not paid by the GM agreement. Jacob Hardy, TCLP’s sustainability and key accounts manager, said the Brewery Creek chargers fill a gap in the existing charging network, while Elmwood Township Harbormaster Dan Jenuwine said the township was pleased to partner with TCLP on the project.

For drivers moving through Grand Traverse County and along the Lake Michigan corridor, the location matters as much as the hardware. A fast charger near the waterfront and marina can make an EV trip feel less like a forced detour and more like a planned stop, especially in summer when Greilickville, Traverse City and nearby destinations draw steady local and visitor traffic. That kind of dwell time can send customers to restaurants, shops and the waterfront within walking distance of the chargers.

The Brewery Creek installation also extends a broader local pattern. The City of Traverse City says TCLP installed Michigan’s first utility-scale wind turbine in 1996 and the state’s first community solar garden in 2013. A 2016 Clean Energy Resolution committed the city to 100 percent operational electricity from clean, renewable sources by 2020 and carbon neutrality before mid-century, and the city says that 100 percent clean electricity goal for city meters was achieved in 2020.

TCLP’s earlier EV rollout showed the same economic logic in downtown Traverse City, where the utility planned 12 dual-port Level 2 chargers and 3 DC fast chargers, adding 27 charging locations and aiming to give tourists confidence about refueling while supporting retailers and restaurants. Statewide planning points in the same direction: a 2025 Michigan EV charging infrastructure study brought together Michigan State University, state agencies, utilities and local partners, while a 2024 Bridge Michigan report said Michigan officials believed the state would need 100,000 chargers for 2 million EVs by 2030, compared with just over 3,300 chargers at that time.