Bozeman, MT Supercharger

[Vger]

Very nice! Thanks for the updated pictures, DrGuest. See you in a couple days!

Thanks for the hospitality, for me and Ruby, Dr Guest!

I had a look at the Bozeman SC site on Saturday evening and nothing had changed yet from the photos above. Here's to hoping that transformer arrives and gets wired this coming week or next!

 

[Bighorn]

I met up with the general contractor in Big Timber today. He said the Bozeman transformer is anticipated around Oct 15 and they hope to be live Oct 20th. Same timeframe for Big Timber, except they are waiting on the switch gear there.

 

[Vger]

I met up with the general contractor in Big Timber today. He said the Bozeman transformer is anticipated around Oct 15 and they hope to be live Oct 20th. Same timeframe for Big Timber, except they are waiting on the switch gear there.

Thanks for the update. Not such great news for me; looks like I will miss the opening by 10 days or so. Ah well, next time...

 

[DrGuest]

Thanks for the update. Not such great news for me; looks like I will miss the opening by 10 days or so. Ah well, next time...

Ugh, very soon Northwestern Energy will no longer be in the " Energy Selling " Business due to independent solar PV systems, so then they will have to be in the business of selling good reliable service, like getting these utilities delivered in a much more timely manner. They will be certifying installers, making sure that local grids are set- up properly, etc. basically in the customer service business, they have a long way to go to reach this new business model. They need to provide better service than this., to survive, hope they do! All the signs and finishing touches are done. Transformer pad awaits a possible Oct. 15, 2014 delivery, Oct. 20 , 2014 Activation Date. I'll let y'all know asap.

 

[DrGuest]

I met up with the general contractor in Big Timber today. He said the Bozeman transformer is anticipated around Oct 15 and they hope to be live Oct 20th. Same timeframe for Big Timber, except they are waiting on the switch gear there.

Bighorn, we need to meet up ASAP. Let me know next time you are going to Billings, Big Timber, Red Lodge, or the Beartooth! See you in Bozeman after the 20th, hopefully! Let us know if you need to stay over night until then.

In a couple weeks, my wife and I will go to West Yellowstone for 2 hours, then Driggs, ID and Jackson Hole, Wy using Tesla HPWC 80 amp chargers. This will be our longest trip with no SuperCharger Service available.

 

[vinnie97]

^That's my kinda' trip! I imagine it will be just a little bit nippy in late October, though.

 

[Cottonwood]

^That's my kinda' trip! I imagine it will be just a little bit nippy in late October, though.

Only at night. I bet the afternoons are delightful!

 

[Tedkidd]

Bighorn, we need to meet up ASAP. Let me know next time you are going to Billings, Big Timber, Red Lodge, or the Beartooth! See you in Bozeman after the 20th, hopefully! Let us know if you need to stay over night until then.

In a couple weeks, my wife and I will go to West Yellowstone for 2 hours, then Driggs, ID and Jackson Hole, Wy using Tesla HPWC 80 amp chargers. This will be our longest trip with no SuperCharger Service available.

Hopefully you'll share that trip diary!
Send 4 chargepoint cards if you haven't got them already (and get a j adapter), Jackson has 3 free locations in town.

 

[Bighorn]

Bighorn, we need to meet up ASAP. Let me know next time you are going to Billings, Big Timber, Red Lodge, or the Beartooth! See you in Bozeman after the 20th, hopefully! Let us know if you need to stay over night until then.

In a couple weeks, my wife and I will go to West Yellowstone for 2 hours, then Driggs, ID and Jackson Hole, Wy using Tesla HPWC 80 amp chargers. This will be our longest trip with no SuperCharger Service available.

I had considered coming to Bozeman for the electric car talk on the 15th, but that was under the assumption that there'd be a supercharger active there. I will definitely make my way to Bozeman and Chico once those neighboring stations are open.

A running partner who recently moved to Bozeman has spotted your car on several occasions. We'll definitely have to meet up somewhere along the way!

 

[DrGuest]

Still no Transformer on the concrete pad, ;(

 

[Vger]

Amazing, in a really bad way. Ufff!

 

[Pricee2]

No transformer in Bozeman or Hope or ??? Is it because there is only one supplier? Has anyone seen enough of them to tell if they are all from the same manufacturer? The only one I have been to more than once is Burlington, WA. Next time I am there (Nov 15 maybe) I will see if I can get a photo of any placards.

 

[wycolo]

Looks more like a pad to set up your lawn chair and watch traffic go by.
--

 

[DrGuest]

I'll go set up a lawn chair and as soon as I do, the transformer should arrive! Northwest Energy INC has never been known for their fast utility installation service, however this sets a new "sub-standard." They delivered 1/2 the equipment to Big Timber and 1/2 to Bozeman instead of 100% to one location. So now we have two SC that are not up and running yet. Missoula looks to be waiting for power also. Tesla did their part of construction super fast, i t is j u st s l ow waiting for the utility company to get their act together! I'll let ya'll know more as I learn more. Patience is truly a virtue!

 

[DrGuest]

I went by the SC station in Bozeman and the Transformer is on it's Pad but the SC's are not active quite yet. Not sure what the next step will be but I will let you know when they are activated ASAP. I think this SC may be the longest build from rumor to completion. It has been since July I have been watching this process. It will soon be up and running. Bighorn, any word on Big Timber? I think I will give "The Fort" in Big Timber a call and see if they know more about the SC there.

 

[Bighorn]

I went by the SC station in Bozeman and the Transformer is on it's Pad but the SC's are not active quite yet. Not sure what the next step will be but I will let you know when they are activated ASAP. I think this SC may be the longest build from rumor to completion. It has been since July I have been watching this process. It will soon be up and running. Bighorn, any word on Big Timber? I think I will give "The Fort" in Big Timber a call and see if they know more about the SC there.
View attachment 61861

No, my Fort expedition was a 450 mile jaunt--won't be back before one of the two is active. It sounded like their switch gear was supposed to arrive concurrently with the transformer at Bozeman. The contractor figured a week between the arrival and activation.

 

[Cottonwood]

No, my Fort expedition was a 450 mile jaunt--won't be back before one of the two is active. It sounded like their switch gear was supposed to arrive concurrently with the transformer at Bozeman. The contractor figured a week between the arrival and activation.

Connecting the Distribution Center (switch gear) to the Utility Transformer and the Charging Pedestals might take a week for Big Timber, but once the Utility Transformer is in place, the connection of the transformer to the grid and the Distribution Center for Bozeman should only take a day or two. Of course, the Tesla crew has to come out and "bless" the install before it goes live. Given the distances and timing, maybe Tesla is planning on doing Bozeman and Big Timber in one same trip.

I'm hoping to roll through after Thanksgiving, and would love to see as many of these I-90 Superchargers as possible live.

 

[PoweredByRain]

I think this SC may be the longest build from rumor to completion. It has been since July I have been watching this process.

Sorry, that is not even close. Many of the sites in Canada have been known for more than six months, with no action. There's one that started, then was mired in some legal battle, and abandoned (I think - I can't find it right now - North Carolina?). And this one took ten months:

Oxnard Supercharger Station

There's one in Canada right now which has been completed for nearly two months with no transformer install yet:

Western Canada Superchargers - Page 16

And one in Arizona that was complete for three months, just waiting for the utility transformer:

Supercharger - Cordes Junction, AZ - Page 11

These delays are aggravating.

 

[Vger]

Sorry, that is not even close. Many of the sites in Canada have been known for more than six months, with no action. There's one that started, then was mired in some legal battle, and abandoned (I think - I can't find it right now - North Carolina?).

Coeur D'Alene, ID also falls in this category-- original site abandoned due to legal issue concerning parking lot quotas for a hotel. CDA has been "coming soon" for at least four months, maybe six months.

But again, I cannot get down on Tesla when I appreciate the global scale of this project. I may never plug into a supercharger in Sweden or China, but I applaud them just the same!

 

[DrGuest]

Sorry, that is not even close. Many of the sites in Canada have been known for more than six months, with no action. There's one that started, then was mired in some legal battle, and abandoned (I think - I can't find it right now - North Carolina?). And this one took ten months:

Oxnard Supercharger Station

There's one in Canada right now which has been completed for nearly two months with no transformer install yet:

Western Canada Superchargers - Page 16

And one in Arizona that was complete for three months, just waiting for the utility transformer:

Supercharger - ordes Junction, AZ - Page 11

These delays are aggravating.

Wow I had no idea so many delays, Billings just went up in less than 3 weeks and was active before I knew it. I did just drive by our SC site and a guy from Chicago was there. He said tomorrow the final "TUV" step will be done in Big Timber between 9 am and noon. Then Bozeman will get tested and checked out and should be ready to go by 5 pm tomorrow. He said Northwest energy has Missoula waiting for a Tranformer. He said construction in Butte will begin next week as will, Dare I say, Superior, MT. Looks like Montana will be up and running before 2015 as planned.