Electric Vehicle Charger Incentives

Although SHELD does not provide an EV charger, SHELD does offer a $300 rebate towards the purchase of a qualified charger if you also enroll in the Connected Homes Program. Additionally, you must remain in the Connected Homes Program for a minimum of 6 months without opting out of any peak events. After this six-month period, SHELD will issue an on-bill credit on your next billing cycle. Learn more about the Connected Homes Program by visiting, https://www.sheld.org/pages/forms/the-helps-connected-homes-program/.

Since EV charging can increase the load on the power grid, we encourage customers to charge at off-peak hours. The Connected Homes Program allows SHELD (through MMWEC) to reduce the charge rate at peak times. There is a $10 monthly incentive for each month you participate. In each month there is typically 3-5 days in which an event will occur for 3 hours between 4 PM and 7 PM. The Connected Homes incentive rebates are applied as on-bill credits.

It is required that you have a licensed contractor install the charger. The electrician will likely need to pull a permit from the Town Hall for the work, and the Wiring Inspector will need to approve it. No inspections are required from SHELD.

Typically, EVs come with a Level 1 charger that can be plugged into a normal wall outlet, and may take longer to charge compared to a Level 2 charger.

Below is additional information on this topic. As always, we recommend that you consult with your tax advisor to verify eligibility.

EV Charging 101 (PDF)
South Hadley 3 Reason – 3 Reasons to Enroll in Connected Homes
IRS 8911 – Federal Tax Credit Information