GREEN COVE SPRINGS – The monthly update on the city’s electrical needs and costs morphed into a half-hour discussion about charging stations for electric vehicles.

The city council already has plans to upgrade its infrastructure, particularly in the downtown area, and councilman Ed Gaw asked Florida Municipal Power Agency’s Bob Page if it was feasible to build charging stations at key locations.

Gaw suggested charging stations near Spring Park and the downtown area would attract out-of-town visitors who have to plan trips around their ability to charge their vehicles.

If visitors need to get a one-hour charge, they could spend the time shopping, he said. And since the city is embarking on a project to upgrade its electrical infrastructure, including burying overhead lines at Governors Creek, it could add the installation of charging stations into the plans.

“There’s no better time (to add the stations) than when you’re doing construction,” said Councilman Steven Kelley.

Although Page said there are more questions than answers about the future of electric vehicles, he told the council thinking ahead was a good idea. He said EVs take four times the amount of copper than a gas-powered car. He said while computers and cellphones have gotten smaller and faster, batteries for an electric vehicle can’t be condensed.

“If you want twice the power, you have to build a battery twice as big,” he said.

He also said convenience stores that offer charging stations use as much power for electric vehicles as the rest of the store.

Since Page’s update was part of the presentation portion of Tuesday’s meeting, the council didn’t take any action.

In other business, the council approved the retirement and surplus of its 28-year-old police boat and agreed to buy a new grapple truck for $203,439.

The council meets at City Hall at 7 p.m. on the first and third Tuesday of each month.