IMEG brings power to North America’s first new airport terminal e-GSE fleet
By Euclides Rodriguez
When The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) opens John F. Kennedy International Airport’s new Terminal 6 in 2026, it will be first North American airport to implement a pooled fleet of electric ground support equipment (e-GSE) across a new terminal.
The e-GSE fleet was one of the highlights for IMEG’s electrical team—specifically, designing the infrastructure needed to deliver power from the terminal building to the more than 40 e-GSE charging stations located at the terminal’s 10 gates.
We based our design on the PosiCharge MVS platform with a power server and power stations connected to each charge station grouping. The system operates on 480V input with an output range between 23 and 96V DC. While the initial design was intended for an underground hand-off to the civil team, due to the design-build and fast-paced nature of construction, slabs were poured before conduit infrastructure could be installed below grade. To solve the issue, we re-evaluated above-ground conduit solutions and, working with the airside civil power team, coordinated a hand-off location at the perimeter of the terminal.
The e-GSE chargers are sub-metered separately as a specific load type, allowing the facility team to understand actual demand loads from the overall power usage of the ground service equipment; metered data will be captured into the terminal’s robust electrical power metering system. Though not under IMEG’s scope, all e-GSE communicate wirelessly to the terminal facility networks, enabling facility operators to remotely monitor all chargers.
It has been rewarding to work on the new terminal, which is being built and will be operated by JFK Millennium Partners. In addition to electrical design, IMEG also is providing mechanical, plumbing, and fire protection design for the facility, which is seeking LEED Gold certification. IMEG-designed sustainability features include high efficiency building systems, more than 4,000 solar panels, and stormwater capture and reuse.
As for the e-GSEs, the fleet is expected to eliminate about 2,500 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year, equivalent to the output of a gas-powered car driven six million miles. This represents a significant contribution toward PANYNJ’s industry-leading commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
“Two years ago, when the Port Authority launched its ambitious goal of net-zero emissions, we understood that success would require tapping new technology, including electric ground support equipment,” said Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole. “It’s fitting that our new airline terminals designed to be among the best in the world will also be leaders in our drive to reduce the agency’s carbon footprint.”
Euclides Rodriguez, PE, is a senior project manager and electrical engineer working out of IMEG’s office in New York, NY.
Read the project case study and learn more about IMEG’s work in the aviation market.
