On Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026, the Colorado Energy Office (CEO) and the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) announced $23.2 million in grant awards through the state's Direct Current Fast-Charging (DCFC) Plazas initiative. The grants will fund 270 new fast-charging ports at 35 locations across Colorado. These are funding awards, not open stations, and the projects are expected to be completed over the next two years.
The money comes from two sources: the federal National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Program and the state's Community Access Enterprise (CAE). The governor's office says NEVI-supported awards aim to fill charging gaps along Colorado's federally designated alternative fuel corridors, while CAE-funded projects help build chargers in communities with growing demand for EV charging. The state says the round will help increase its existing network of more than 1,680 fast-charging ports by 16%. CEO also says it prioritizes projects in disproportionately impacted communities and the ozone nonattainment area.
Who won, and where
Fifteen awardees share the 35 sites. The state describes them as charging station operators, fuel providers, convenience stores and local governments. Awardees and project locations, as listed in the announcement and in ColoradoBiz's write-up:
| Awardee | Location(s) |
|---|---|
| 7-Eleven, Inc. | Aurora, Denver, Loveland |
| BH Franks CO., LLC | Saguache |
| Blink Charging | Colorado Springs, Fort Collins |
| eCAMION | Estes Park, Fraser, Fort Collins, Grand Junction |
| Electrify America, LLC | Denver, Golden, Greenwood Village |
| EVgo | Westminster |
| Evium Charging | Aurora, Colorado Springs |
| GCH Charging LLC | Denver |
| Helios Charging Inc. | Holly, Ignacio, Moffat, Winter Park, Lone Tree |
| Love's Travel Stop | Alamosa, Bennett, Brush, Poncha Springs |
| Phillips 66 | Castle Pines |
| Red E Charging LLC | Evans, Rocky Ford, Thornton |
| Rivian | Aurora, Castle Rock |
| Tesla | Steamboat Springs |
| Town of Eagle | Eagle |
The state says the awards will address critical gaps in its charging infrastructure in locations such as Saguache in Southern Colorado, Ignacio in Southwestern Colorado and Holly in Southeastern Colorado. BH Franks holds the Saguache award. Helios Charging's five locations include both Ignacio and Holly.
CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew described the round's reach in the state's announcement: "there will be 35 more options — in places from Ignacio to Aurora — for drivers to choose from." Gov. Jared Polis and CEO Executive Director Will Toor are also quoted in the release; both tied the grants to the state's EV adoption, air-quality and climate goals and to drivers' fuel costs.
How this round fits the program
According to CDOT's NEVI plan page, Colorado distributes its NEVI funds through CEO's DCFC Plazas Program. That page also carries the program's partnering list, the state's Spring 2026 priority locations, the 2025 NEVI Plan Update and a GIS dataset of awarded sites from all rounds. Several of the places in this round, including Saguache, Holly, Ignacio and Bennett, appear on that Spring 2026 priority list. Including this round, CEO has provided about $71.8 million to support a total of 795 new fast-charging ports through the program. The state also reports that 83% of its highway network is currently within 30 miles of a fast-charging station, up from 40% in August 2020.
What happens next
The awardees now have to build the sites, which the state expects to be completed over the next two years. CEO said it will continue to offer DCFC Plazas funding from both NEVI and the CAE, and set Sept. 28, 2026, six days after the awards were announced, as the opening date for the next request for applications. The Colorado Energy Office's press-release page lists the Sept. 22 announcement among its 2026 releases.
What It Means for Drivers
None of the 35 sites is open yet, so these awards do not change where you can fast-charge today. The biggest difference, once the sites are built, will be on the corridors the state identified as having gaps: drivers passing through Saguache, Ignacio or Holly would gain a fast-charging stop where the state found coverage lacking. In the metro areas, the new ports will add options alongside the stations drivers already use.
To see exactly where a project is planned, check CEO's DCFC Plazas Summary of Awards spreadsheet, which lists award amounts and specific locations, or the "Awarded Sites - All Rounds" GIS dataset on CDOT's NEVI page. Connector types, power levels and any pricing for each site will appear in the operator's app and the U.S. Department of Energy's Alternative Fuels Data Center station locator once that site opens.
Sources
- Office of the Governor: Polis Administration Awards $23.2 Million to Fill Gaps in Colorado's Electric Vehicle Fast Charging Network (Sept. 22, 2026)
- Colorado Energy Office: Press releases
- Colorado Department of Transportation: National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Plan
- ColoradoBiz: Colorado awards $23.2 million to expand EV charging network (Sept. 22, 2026)
