Supercharger - Blaine, WA

[mociaf9]

Just found an underground utilities search alert ticket on behalf of Tesla for "INSTALL ELEC SERVICE/ CHARGING STATIONS" at a market and shopping center right off I-5 between Blaine and Custer. Link to ticket.

Using the information from that, I also found an L&I Electrical permit showing construction had already started (there have been inspections), with the description of "Tesla Charging Station" (see attached screencap). L&I permit 3202982E

Host: The Market at Birch Bay
Address: 8135 Birch Bay Square St, Blaine, WA 98230
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I included the (possible) note in the title because Tesla's map doesn't have a "Coming Soon" pin anywhere north of Burlington until you're already across the border into Canada and I don't have any confirmation that this isn't for L2 stations. But they've built and opened "ghost" locations--which didn't show up on their map prior to opening--before. And based on location and the inspection notes, it feels a lot like a supercharger. So, maybe this will be L2 chargers or maybe superchargers. Need someone local or in the area to go do some recon.

I also looked for the project in the lists of approved building permits from Whatcom County going back to June 2018 and didn't find anything. My guess is that it was just approved earlier this month, and May 2019's list hasn't been published yet. The electrical permit was applied for on May 10th.

 

[mociaf9]

Oh, if anyone goes looking on that same site for other recent Tesla-related underground utilities search alerts in WA, be forewarned. The one from March for the Walmart in Covington (@ 17432 SE 270th Pl.), which explicitly mentions it being for a Tesla Charging Station, is actually for an Electrify America station. NOT Tesla. See this post by @BerTX in the Auburn, WA thread.

 

[Kuhz]

Good sleuthing. Here’s hoping it’s a SC

 

[ChrisH]

Oh, if anyone goes looking on that same site for other recent Tesla-related underground utilities search alerts in WA, be forewarned. The one from March for the Walmart in Covington (@ 17432 SE 270th Pl.), which explicitly mentions it being for a Tesla Charging Station, is actually for an Electrify America station. NOT Tesla. See this post by @BerTX in the Auburn, WA thread.

How does that type of error get made? Lol

 

[marksvend]

I'm pretty sure this is a Tesla Supercharger, y'all. Another inspection today and the comment mentions Tesla Cabinets.

 

[Kuhz]

I’m surprised no one checked it out yet. @PLUS EV ?

 

[mociaf9]

I’m surprised no one checked it out yet. @PLUS EV ?

According to another comment of his, he's out of town right now. But where's the rest of the Washingtonian TMC contingent? Given the proximity to the border, I think I'll also post a link in the Western Canada Superchargers thread. Maybe one of our northern neighbors will be driving south soon and can swing by for us on their way past.

I'm pretty sure this is a Tesla Supercharger, y'all. Another inspection today and the comment mentions Tesla Cabinets.

Now we're talking! Yeah, "Tesla Cabinets" plus the new electrical service of 480V/1600A. That's definitely not for L2 stations.

@BlueShift @Chuq

 

[Chuq]

Good sleuthing! I've added this as an under-construction site, even though we don't have a single photo it's still clear from the description.

 

[GHammer]

According to another comment of his, he's out of town right now. But where's the rest of the Washingtonian TMC contingent? Given the proximity to the border, I think I'll also post a link in the Western Canada Superchargers thread. Maybe one of our northern neighbors will be driving south soon and can swing by for us on their way past.

Now we're talking! Yeah, "Tesla Cabinets" plus the new electrical service of 480V/1600A. That's definitely not for L2 stations.

@BlueShift @Chuq

I'll be going through there tomorrow, I'll swing by and check it out.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Blaine, WA

Along Primary Interstates: I-5
Along US Numbered Highways (<=5mi): None
Along Auxiliary Interstates: None

I-5:
From: Burlington, WA - 38.1 miles
To: End (Blaine at Canada, WA) - 6.8 miles
Diversion: 0.9 miles
From: Arlington, WA - 62 miles

To: Squamish, BC - 79.3 miles

This should pretty much make the end of I-5 complete, and helps anybody who needs to round-trip into the Vancouver, BC area or north.

 

[BerTX]

Blaine, WA

Along Primary Interstates: I-5
Along US Numbered Highways (<=5mi): None
Along Auxiliary Interstates: None

I-5:
From: Burlington, WA - 38.1 miles
To: End (Blaine at Canada, WA) - 6.8 miles
Diversion: 0.9 miles
From: Arlington, WA - 62 miles

To: Squamish, BC - 79.3 miles

This should pretty much make the end of I-5 complete, and helps anybody who needs to round-trip into the Vancouver, BC area or north.

Yeah, not sure I understand this location. Any SC is good, blah blah, but there are lots of locations in WA pending that would be more useful. I don't much buy the roundtrip to Vancouver easier story. There are 3 Superchargers in Vancouver.

 

[DustWindDude]

Yeah, not sure I understand this location. Any SC is good, blah blah, but there are lots of locations in WA pending that would be more useful. I don't much buy the roundtrip to Vancouver easier story. There are 3 Superchargers in Vancouver.

From what I have read, the Burlington SC is busy a lot. This is a heavily-traveled corridor. I am guessing someone at Tesla ran the numbers (usage, wait times, etc.) and decided it made sense.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Yeah, not sure I understand this location. Any SC is good, blah blah, but there are lots of locations in WA pending that would be more useful. I don't much buy the roundtrip to Vancouver easier story. There are 3 Superchargers in Vancouver.

Who's talking about a story? I'm talking about the effect.

There are 3 Superchargers in Vancouver, you could stop at, if you need to. But you wouldn't unless you really have to, and ifyou're passing through, the Vancouver Superchargers are out of the way.

As I see it, it's just another Supercharger that adds to network density and capacity in an area with a good number of Teslas.

And, forget "more useful", Tesla gets sites agreed and they get built, as long as they're not dependent on others to form a useful chain. We see this all over.

 

[PLUS EV]

There are many ways to the 2 Blaine border crossings from the BC side. From the WA side, almost everyone is travelling up I-5, so it makes sense to put one on the US side of the border where you can serve all parties.

Also some Canadians come across the US periodically for very specific reasons: banking, shopping, etc. Many of them will not even go as far south as Burlington. And obviously crossing a busy border just to charge is highly inconvenient. So again it makes sense to have one on the US side of the border.

I suspect there will be more Canadians using this supercharger than Americans.

 

[Araman0]

We live in Seattle and use the Vancouver airport often. We usually drive straight to the airport, and park the car. On the return trip we usually don't have enough charge remaining (in Winter and after some time has passed) to make it to Burlington. This makes it easy for us to complete the trip without having to stop at that out of the way outlet mall in Canada.

 

[GHammer]

Confirmed. 14 stalls, 2 of them pull in. No tranformer or pedastals yet.

 

[MP3Mike]

Sadly it doesn't look to be a V3 site...

 

[Poobearcretu]

What about my White Rock charger? This location is great, except my Nexus just expired last month. Hopefully, this location will have v3.0 chargers by the looks of the amps.

Honestly, I am sort of sick of all the 72kW chargers around the lower mainland. Please, Tesla, plan to add some 150kW chargers or 250kW.

 

[PLUS EV]

What about my White Rock charger? This location is great, except my Nexus just expired last month. Hopefully, this location will have v3.0 chargers by the looks of the amps.

Honestly, I am sort of sick of all the 72kW chargers around the lower mainland. Please, Tesla, plan to add some 150kW chargers or 250kW.

Only took 18 posts for the thread announcing a new supercharger to turn negative

 

[Poobearcretu]

Only took 18 posts for the thread announcing a new supercharger to turn negative

Wow really? I'm very diligent about finding a charger near White Rock / South Surrey.

Please, Tesla, we could use some 150kW stalls around here.