In what is expected to serve as a major facilitating factor for setting up of charging points for electrical vehicles, fuel stations across the state will no longer be required to install electrical transformers on their premises, reports Niranjan Kaggere.The Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) has exempted all oil companies from mandatory installation of transformers at their refuelling facilities.
These transformers can now be set up at a distance, with transmission lines connecting the bunks to the transformers. “The KERC move will be a shot in the arm for setting up EV charging infrastructure across Karnataka as petrol bunks on all highways can serve as major sources of charging points for vehicles,” Mahantesh Bilagi, the managing director of Bescom, told STOI.
Until now, KERC had stipulated that all establishments with more than 800sqft of area or with power consumption exceeding 35kW must mandatorily have electrical transformers installed on their premises.
This came as quite a poser for refuelling stations as Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation‘s safety norms stipulated that electrical installations cannot be allowed on premises that stored and dispensed highly flammable substances.
Faced with this Catch 22 of the Electricity Act and the PESO regulation, installation of necessary infrastructure for EV charging points at petrol bunks was held up for long.
Now, with the mandatory condition of having transformers installed at these facilities being lifted, the deck has been cleared for refuelling stations to fast-track installation of EV charging points. Oil companies had collectively communicated to Escoms about the impediment and sought an amicable solution. Meanwhile, Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) approached KERC, seeking an exemption. After reviewing the situation, KERC agreed to grant the exemption.
“Our intention to provide EV charging facility at bunks was stuck due to this confusion and hence we sought an amicable solution from the regulatory authority,” explained an official representing the oil companies.
The KERC notification dated November 17 states: “Currently, there is no specific provision in the Condition of Supply (CoS) for arranging power supply to EV chargers and distribution licensees are arranging power supply to such installations, wherein the consumer has to execute infrastructure works under self-execution if the load is 35 kW or more.”
Sources said the revised guidelines are now applicable to all oil companies. “We will have to identify a suitable public place close to the petrol bunks and provide them with the required LT connection for setting up of EV charging ports. While they (petrol bunks) have been exempted from the Electricity Act rules, we will have to recover the cost incurred in setting up those transformers elsewhere and laying of transmission lines,” the Bescom managing director said.
