FORT PAYNE, Ala. (WHNT) – The first of many electric vehicle charging stations opened in Fort Payne on Tuesday.

The station, operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), sits at the intersection of 5th Street and Gault Avenue and is part of a large project called the “Fast 50” that the TVA is working towards. This comes as the TVA said they expect to have around 200,000 electric cars on the road by 2028.

The TVA wants people that drive electric vehicles to know they are working on creating several of these charging stations across Alabama. The goal is to have public fast chargers every 50 miles along interstates and major highways.

The TVA worked with the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) and Seven States Power Corporation.

“At TVA, we’ve moved far beyond connecting communities with power lines,” said Jeannette Mills, TVA Executive Vice President and Chief External Relations Officer. “Today, EVs use our clean, low-cost, reliable electricity to connect communities and commerce across our seven-state region. By taking a leadership role in EV technology, TVA and local power companies like FPIA are not only saving drivers money but benefiting everyone in the Valley by attracting tourism and good jobs while stewarding our environment for future generations. These investments are possible because of our public power model.”

When the program is finished, the TVA says they expect to have about 80 of these charging stations in place. They expect this to be finished in 2027.

Electric vehicle chargers can be found on the TVA’s website.