New Jersey-based utility Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G) and Saint Peter’s University Hospital have opened a five-staton electric vehicle (EV) charging system at the New Brunswick, N.J., hospital, PSE&G announced.

The EV charging system, located on the ground floor of the hospital's CARES parking garage, is part of a PSE&G pilot program designed to help spur the adoption of EVs in the utility's electric service territory.

As part of the pilot program, Saint Peter's University Hospital committed to immediately utilizing the five charging stations for staff members who own and drive EVs to the hospital. In return, PSE&G provided the EV charging equipment free-of-charge, and the hospital paid for the installation of the units and will pay for ongoing maintenance and electricity costs, according to the energy provider.

The PSE&G pilot program currently has 25 EV charging stations operating at four customer locations throughout New Jersey, including Saint Peter's University Hospital. Ten additional charging stations are being constructed at two other customer sites, and the is in discussion with several other customers with the goal of installing 50 individual charging stations at 10 customer locations by the end of 2015.

The PSE&G pilot program also allows the utility to collect real-world data about how the chargers are used. This will enable PSE&G to better understand the impact that large-scale EV charging could have on the electric grid, identify areas of potential high-EV charger density, and plan for infrastructure upgrades and modifications that may be needed, the utility added