Los Alamos County, New Mexico, will hold a public ribbon cutting at 2 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, for two new DC fast charging stations in the Mesa Public Library parking lot. According to the Los Alamos Daily Post's Oct. 30, 2026 report on a county notice, the ceremony celebrates "the opening" of the new Direct Current (DC) fast charging stations, and the event is open to the community.

The sources ChargerFeed could read do not give an exact in-service date or say whether the chargers are already taking customers. Anyone planning a trip around the stop should confirm status with the county before driving there.

The numbers

  • Hardware: two "Direct Current Fast Chargers, dual-port networked chargers" at 2400 Central Ave., Los Alamos, per the county project page (archived May 12, 2026 snapshot).
  • Power: the county's March 2026 public information plan says the chargers "will provide a minimum of 150kw at each port." That was a design target set before construction. None of the sources read confirm the output of the installed units.
  • Price: a county announcement reported by the Los Alamos Daily Post on June 3, 2026 said "a fee of $0.58/kWh will apply for public use of the chargers." That is the only rate in the sources read. Rates can change, so check the county or on-site signage before relying on it.
  • Total project value: $1,184,000, per the county project page (May 12, 2026 snapshot).
  • State grant: $435,388 from the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT), per the county council's grant approval and the county project page.
  • Contractor: R&M Construction, LLC, per the county project page and the June 2026 county announcement.

Who paid for it

By the county's own figures, the state grant covers a bit over a third of the project: $435,388 of $1,184,000 is about 37%. On Sept. 30, 2025, the Los Alamos County Council took up Grant Agreement AGR26-825 with NMDOT. The agenda describes it as a Fund 93100 Capital Appropriation Project for an "Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Direct Current Fast Charging Grant," in an amount "Not to Exceed $435,388."

The county doesn't always give the same figure. A June county announcement, carried by the Los Alamos Daily Post, called it a "$435,588 grant award." The council agreement and the county's project page both say $435,388, and ChargerFeed treats the council agreement as the authoritative figure. The difference between the project value and the grant is roughly $749,000, and the sources read do not say where that remainder came from.

None of the county documents read name the federal or state program behind the money. They call it an NMDOT grant or "NMDOT EVSE grant funds." NMDOT's page for its DC Fast EV Charging Grant Program, which carries an August 2022 application window, says that program distributes American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Section 9901) State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds. Those funds go to planning, engineering, design and installation of Level 3 DC fast charging with a minimum of 50 kW per port while simultaneously charging. NMDOT's page doesn't connect the Los Alamos award to that program or to a particular round, so ChargerFeed isn't linking the two.

According to NMDOT's program notice, sites must be accessible to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week, have dusk-to-dawn lighting, and be within a short walking distance, not to exceed a quarter mile, of retail or service establishments. The program prioritizes rural locations and low- and moderate-income areas of the state.

From June target to an October finish

The schedule slipped. The county's public information and involvement plan, dated March 2026, estimated construction would start in April and finish by June 30, 2026. The county project page, as archived on May 12, 2026, listed a May 4, 2026 start and a June 30, 2026 completion date.

By early June, the county was announcing that installation would resume on June 8, 2026. The main vehicle access route and parking lot would be closed until paving was completed, by June 30. That notice said the electrical panel had been ordered, that some work might occur in phases as equipment arrived, and that the overall schedule depended on equipment delivery, with the project "expected to be substantially complete by October 2026."

The June notice says the contractor is installing the power supply systems, support pads for the chargers, protective bollards and an emergency power shut-off mechanism. The county's planning document adds that the site includes ADA design requirements.

Why the county built it

County documents tie the project to Los Alamos County's Climate Action Plan. According to the June county announcement, the council adopted the plan in November 2024. Its targets are a 30% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, 80% by 2040 and net zero by 2050. The March information plan names the county as the agency responsible for applying for and receiving NMDOT EV grants. It says the site was chosen because it is near electrical supply, centrally located downtown, and a reasonable distance from the county's other EV infrastructure at the Municipal Building. It also says users, not taxpayers, are meant to bear the cost through a fee.

"These new charging stations represent another step toward expanding public EV charging infrastructure and supporting more sustainable transportation options in our community," County Sustainability Manager Angelica V. Gurule said in the ribbon-cutting notice.

What It Means for Drivers

Where: Mesa Public Library parking lot, 2400 Central Ave., Los Alamos, N.M.

Status: As of the county's Oct. 30, 2026 notice, the county is holding a ceremony celebrating the opening of the stations. The sources read do not state a public-access date, so confirm with the county that the chargers are in service before you travel.

How many vehicles: There are two dual-port units. The county's materials don't say whether all four ports can charge cars at the same time or how power is shared between the two ports on a unit. Drivers should assume capacity may be limited until the county publishes more detail.

Cost: $0.58/kWh, according to the county announcement reported by the Los Alamos Daily Post on June 3, 2026. The sources read don't list idle fees, session fees, time-of-day pricing or payment methods, and they don't name the charging network, so check the on-site signage.

Speed: The county's spring planning document specified at least 150 kW per port. That was a pre-construction target, and actual charging speed will depend on the vehicle, its state of charge and how power is shared between ports.

Ribbon cutting: Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, at 2 p.m., in the Mesa Public Library parking lot. The county notice invites the community to attend.

Site hosts and municipalities thinking about a similar project should hire a licensed electrician and follow the charger manufacturer's installation requirements. Utility interconnection rules also vary by service territory.

Sources