NRG released the results of a study it commissioned, showing that the $102-million dollar deal will generate $83 million worth of economic goodies, and create 1500 jobs.

The latest battle to divide California isn’t over gold or water rights – it’s all about public EV charging stations. Last week, charging network operator ECOtality sued to stop implementation of an agreement between the California Public Utilities Commission (PUC) and giant utility NRG. The deal, finalized in March, gives NRG the right (or obligation) to build a network of charging stations as part of the settlement of a decade-old lawsuit.

Today, NRG fired back with the results of a study it commissioned, showing that the $102-million dollar deal will generate $83 million worth of economic goodies, and create 1500 jobs. It also offered glowing quotes from a couple of its partners in the project.

Of course, Ecotality isn’t alleging that the NRG deal won’t generate jobs, or that it won’t be good business. On the contrary, they want to be the ones doing the business. What they’re alleging is that the PUC means to hand NRG an unfair advantage in California’s EV charging market.

It’s worth noting that Ecotality has also benefitted from government support for EVs – it received $115 million in grants from the DOE to help build the EV Project charging network.

Source: NRG
Image: NRG