St. Louis-based electric utility Ameren Missouri is seeking approval from the Missouri Public Service Commission to build six public charging stations between St. Louis and central Missouri.

Five of the stations will be located along I-70 between St. Louis and Boonville, the busiest stretch of highway in the Show-Me State. The other will be in Jefferson City on US 54. They will be spaced 20 to 45 miles apart.

Missouri has nearly 1,000 public charging stations, but most are in Kansas City, St. Louis and their suburbs.

“The need we are addressing is the need for charging infrastructure that is fast and located along long-distance driving corridors,” said Project Leader Mark Nealon.

Ameren Missouri is proposing a “pay at the charger” transaction that mirrors a typical gasoline fueling experience. Each station will include a DC fast charger and a Level 2 charger. The fast charger will cost about $2.50 per quarter hour of plug-in time, and the Level 2 charger will cost about 30 cents per quarter hour, Nealon said.

Ameren Missouri estimates the cost of the charging stations at around $600,000. Construction is to begin later this year.

Source: Ameren Missouri,  Associated Press via CBS St. Louis