Supercharger - Bossier City, LA

[JWhite65]

Drove through the parking lot just now; they are actively drilling today. Everyone seemed busy so I didn't bother them with questions. I will check again over the coming days.
No transformer on site that I could see.

 

[JWhite65]

Current status:

Picture #1 - Reference this most recent dig ticket. Points 1 and 2, which previously had conduit sticking out, are now covered - no conduit showing.

Picture #2 - Located at point 2.There are no holes in the top, so I'm guessing it's not for the transformer. Perhaps just a hub for wires to connect?

Picture #3 - Located at point 4. Assuming this is where the transformer will eventually be placed. Not sure what the smaller framing will be for.

Some machinery is still on sight. Still no transformer.

 

[Mrbrock]

Current status:

Picture #1 - Reference this most recent dig ticket. Points 1 and 2, which previously had conduit sticking out, are now covered - no conduit showing.

Picture #2 - Located at point 2.There are no holes in the top, so I'm guessing it's not for the transformer. Perhaps just a hub for wires to connect?

Picture #3 - Located at point 4. Assuming this is where the transformer will eventually be placed. Not sure what the smaller framing will be for.

Some machinery is still on sight. Still no transformer.

Smaller framing for a meter box probably.

 

[ChrisC]

I stopped by to get a look. Those two concrete pads have been poured, but otherwise I don't think anything else has been done. Actually, the meter boxes are in, which is probably new work. No meters yet of course. There was no sign of any activity in the area where the new pedestals would go, behind me in this photo.

 

[JWhite65]

I stopped by to get a look. Those two concrete pads have been poured, but otherwise I don't think anything else has been done. Actually, the meter boxes are in, which is probably new work. No meters yet of course. There was no sign of any activity in the area where the new pedestals would go, behind me in this photo.

The meter boxes have been there for months. The wiring was just run over the last couple weeks and these two pads were poured either Thursday or Friday of last week.
I have an idea for why there are two pads and two meter boxes. Since there are 12 Tesla Superchargers and 2 Level 2 ChargePoint chargers, wouldn't they be running off of two different transformers (one large and one smaller) and two different meters?

 

[Mrbrock]

The meter boxes have been there for months. The wiring was just run over the last couple weeks and these two pads were poured either Thursday or Friday of last week.
I have an idea for why there are two pads and two meter boxes. Since there are 12 Tesla Superchargers and 2 Level 2 ChargePoint chargers, wouldn't they be running off of two different transformers (one large and one smaller) and two different meters?

Not separate transformers. Usually the step down from 480 to 120/240 is in the switchgear cabinet because site lighting and communications run off non-480v so these wouldn’t need a second meter. Unless they want separate billing for L2 which I haven’t seen at any other Target site with L2. File under maybe but highly unlikely.

I stopped by to get a look. Those two concrete pads have been poured, but otherwise I don't think anything else has been done. Actually, the meter boxes are in, which is probably new work. No meters yet of course. There was no sign of any activity in the area where the new pedestals would go, behind me in this photo.

What new pedestals are you referring to?

 

[zroger73]

Not separate transformers. Usually the step down from 480 to 120/240 is in the switchgear cabinet because site lighting and communications run off non-480v so these wouldn’t need a second meter. Unless they want separate billing for L2 which I haven’t seen at any other Target site with L2. File under maybe but highly unlikely.


What new pedestals are you referring to?

Tesla pays for the electricity they use. ChargePoint pays for the electricity they use. Why wouldn't this require separate metering?

 

[Mrbrock]

Tesla pays for the electricity they use. ChargePoint pays for the electricity they use. Why wouldn't this require separate metering?

Uh, no. The ChargePoint stalls that are part of Tesla sites are usually hosted by Tesla and are a cost of getting the leases they need. Again, I have not seen separate meters for L2 sites at Target superchargers.

 

[zroger73]

That makes no sense to me. Why would Tesla host a competitor like ChargePoint? Isn't that like Walmart hosting a Dollar General Store?

 

[JWhite65]

Not separate transformers. Usually the step down from 480 to 120/240 is in the switchgear cabinet because site lighting and communications run off non-480v so these wouldn’t need a second meter. Unless they want separate billing for L2 which I haven’t seen at any other Target site with L2. File under maybe but highly unlikely.


What new pedestals are you referring to?

Any thoughts on the purpose of the smaller pad?

 

[Mrbrock]

Any thoughts on the purpose of the smaller pad?

Sorry, hadn’t noticed the separate meter since they usually get mounted on switchgear or a separate cabinet around here. That setup looks quite temporary but it doesn’t make sense to have them temporarily mounted so that must be final location.

I don’t think I had noticed the ChargePoint chargers installed yet but now I see them lurking in the back of the above photos so this might be an odd situation where they are completely separate. Like I said above, most of these sites have them all integrated into the Tesla switchgear, at least from what I have seen on he west coast. This could be a different agreement. It is possible there will be a separate transformer since there are 2 meters but that means there will be separate switchgear for ChargePoint as well. Seems like a lot of extra infrastructure for 2 L2 stations.

However, @ChrisC mentioned new stalls opposite the transformers from the Tesla station. It could be that another brand L3 is getting installed? Weird but possible. Guess we will have to wait it out and see.

 

[JWhite65]

Sorry, hadn’t noticed the separate meter since they usually get mounted on switchgear or a separate cabinet around here. That setup looks quite temporary but it doesn’t make sense to have them temporarily mounted so that must be final location.

I don’t think I had noticed the ChargePoint chargers installed yet but now I see them lurking in the back of the above photos so this might be an odd situation where they are completely separate. Like I said above, most of these sites have them all integrated into the Tesla switchgear, at least from what I have seen on he west coast. This could be a different agreement. It is possible there will be a separate transformer since there are 2 meters but that means there will be separate switchgear for ChargePoint as well. Seems like a lot of extra infrastructure for 2 L2 stations.

However, @ChrisC mentioned new stalls opposite the transformers from the Tesla station. It could be that another brand L3 is getting installed? Weird but possible. Guess we will have to wait it out and see.

If there are additional stalls being installed, there is no obvious sign of it. I'm not sure what he meant by that. Maybe he has some insight we don't know about?
I'll be making a trip to Target this afternoon and will report back if any transformers have shown up.

 

[ChrisC]

I have no insight When I was planning my long roadtrip down I-20, I looked for SC sites along the route that needed reconnaissance. Seeing this one, I skimmed the thread (which started in April 2023 with a permit) and thought the current construction was an EXPANSION of the existing site. I realize now that this site hasn't ever actually gone online. So just take my post for the photos, ignore my text, and rely on Jwhite's reports

LOL to those here making jabs at Chargepoint. Excluding Tesla, they are THE most reliable charging provider. But your point is moot: the Target hosting contracts REQUIRE that those Chargepoint stations go in alongside the Tesla SC site. It's their weak token gesture towards equity.

 

[JWhite65]

the Target hosting contracts REQUIRE that those Chargepoint stations go in alongside the Tesla SC site.

That's some pretty good insight.

I drove by this site yesterday (from a distance), but didn't see any work activity. As far as I know, still no transformers.

 

[JWhite65]

Transformers are being installed today.

 

[JWhite65]

Drove back through after lunch. Workers are gone. Still no meters.

 

[ChrisC]

The utility meters typically come after the site passes final inspection by the local authority, which obviously needs to get requested and then executed. So, probably a week max unless there's some unique backlog there.

 

[JWhite65]

Workers are back on site today. They are running wires from the transformer to this box:

 

[zroger73]

Those are the main and branch circuit breakers for the cabinets. There are three cabinets to the right of the circuit breakers. Each cabinet powers four posts/stalls.

 

[JWhite65]

Weekly update... I stopped by on my way home from lunch today. It appears all wiring has been run and the site has been cleaned up. Wiring spools, temporary fencing, etc. have all been removed. As of about an hour or so ago, the meters have not been installed.