Supercharger - Altoona, IA

[earcandy]

Things are looking promising for the planned Supercharger in Altoona, IA.

I did a quick search of the city permits, and found an entry from 11/26/18:
"KUM & GO - TESLA CHARGING STATION"

Address: 1430 1st Ave N, Altoona, IA
Google Maps


Link: Permit Reports | City of Altoona, Iowa
Go to 2018 Commercial Permits.

 

[midwestLemur]

Oh that's interesting. Sounds like maybe we'll get it in 2018 after all.

It always seemed like the Hy-Vee just down the road from there was the obvious choice. Are the images on Google up to date? It doesn't seem like there's anywhere to eat near that location unless the Casey's across the street has some seating inside (some of them do).

 

[earcandy]

True... not much around.
Luckily, the Kum & Go is a new, nice location, with some seating.
Google Maps
Google Maps

(and an Anytime Fitness across the street, to work off those Cinnamon Rolls )

 

[mociaf9]

Bethany, MO is a great addition to the Tesla Supercharger network. Hopefully they will activate Altoona, IA soon which would make Overland Park, KS to Verona, WI trip much easier/faster.

@RobK, I think you had originally mistaken the Altoona, Pennsylvania install for Altoona, Iowa. But here you go, this will be the one in the right state and should help you out.

 

[RobK]

@RobK, I think you had originally mistaken the Altoona, Pennsylvania install for Altoona, Iowa. But here you go, this will be the one in the right state and should help you out.

Thank you @mociaf9! This is indeed good news. Would love to see some pics, if possible.

 

[GleanerC]

Grabbed these pics today while traveling through. Contractors actively working.

 

[RobK]

Grabbed these pics today while traveling through. Contractors actively working.

This is fantastic! Wonder if they will make the YE date as posted on SC map. Thank you for the nice pics.

 

[crmatson]

Grabbed these pics today while traveling through. Contractors actively working.

Beat me to it. I asked the worker about time frame and he said they are waiting on equipment and couldn't offer a date. He said he worked on the Bethany, MO and Shelby, IA locations recently. He said if they have everything, they could get a Supercharger station built in 5 days.

 

[mociaf9]

Nice. It looks like they might already have the utility transformer installed (hiding in the backgroud of GleanerC's first picture you can see a new transformer and evidence of the recent trenching). So this site could potentially come on-line very quickly as the major long lead item might already be finished. The parking stall layout is a bit weird though. I would have expected the far left stall to be pull forward instead of back-in.

 

[MarcoRP]

I don’t think anyone notified @BlueShift.

 

[MarcoRP]

Recent photos of Altoona on PlugShare. Construction finished, gates off. Looks like it will be ready before year’s end.

 

[mociaf9]

Waiting on the switchgear (that's a new one, usually it's the utility transformer that's the hold-up). Everything else looks done. After that gets installed and wired in, they'll hopefully be able to get final inspections done, have the meter released, and turn the juice on.

 

[DDarrow]

Is it just me, or is this taking way longer than usual?

 

[DMC5180]

I wonder If the Wooden enclosure needs to be installed around the 3 Supercharger units before it can go live also? It seems odd that these units aren't clustered on a common Concrete pad.

 

[BobIowa]

I wonder If the Wooden enclosure needs to be installed around the 3 Supercharger units before it can go live also? It seems odd that these units aren't clustered on a common Concrete pad.

 

[BobIowa]

Hi: I talked to the electrician today. They are wiring the switch gear to the chargers, May take a few more days because of the cold, but he said soon.

 

[MarcoRP]

Hi: I talked to the electrician today. They are wiring the switch gear to the chargers, May take a few more days because of the cold, but he said soon.View attachment 371389

Better clear the snow as well

 

[BobIowa]

Snow is gone for a day or two

 

[mociaf9]

I wonder If the Wooden enclosure needs to be installed around the 3 Supercharger units before it can go live also? It seems odd that these units aren't clustered on a common Concrete pad.

There won't be a fence/enclosure. Whether any sort of screen around such equipment, either fencing or landscaping, is required is a matter decided by local Planning/Zoning rules. it's not a hard rule enforced everywhere. From the layout, looks like it isn't required by this jurisdiction. It is a bit unusual to see the cabinets strung out in a line like that, but we've seen it done in other locations as well. I imagine it was done here to stay within the requirements of the site. The cabinets have to be located within a certain distance of the charging posts but setting them all on a single pad on available space somewhere within that radius would likely have interfered with the setback requirements or encroached on the sidewalk. Either that or have swallowed up an additional parking stall which might not have been acceptable to the land owners. etc.

 

[RobK]

Snow is gone for a day or two

Thanks for the update and nice "Before & After" pics. Hopefully Altoona, IA will show up on Tesla SC map, soon.