PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — Federal officials have given their approval to a plan for a series of electric-vehicle charging stations along South Dakota’s two interstates.

The 74-page plan submitted by the South Dakota Department of Transportation calls for adding stations at 13 locations in addition to one already at Wall.

I-29 would have sites at Beresford, Sioux Falls, Brookings, Watertown and Summit. The new I-90 sites would be at Hartford, Mitchell, Kimball, Kennebec, Murdo, Kadoka, Rapid City and Spearfish.

They would be privately operated and would be in addition to 59 charging infrastructure locations of various sizes that were in South Dakota as of late May.

The U.S. Department of Transportation announced approval of South Dakota’s plan. Congress through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law made $5 billion available over five years to help build a nationwide system of electric vehicle charging stations.

Many of South Dakota’s current sites don’t meet new higher standards of the federal subsidy program. South Dakota will get $10.6 million to start in the coming two years.

Mike Behm, director of planning and engineering at SDDOT, led the formation of South Dakota’s plan. Four to six locations could be developed per year in the state, according to the plan, with the charging infrastructure installed no earlier than mid-2023 or 2024.

“We appreciate everyone across the state who provided input into the development of South Dakota’s Electric Vehicle (EV) Fast Charging Plan to identify how EV charging, along the interstate corridors, could work in the state of South Dakota,” Behm said in a statement to KELOLAND News.

He continued, “Over the next several years, the South Dakota EV Fast Charging Plan will provide the framework to guide the creation of a network of EV fast chargers to connect South Dakota with the national network.”

The state Board of Minerals and Environment has previously provided some funding for charging stations in South Dakota through the Volkswagen-emissions settlement program.