Lok Sabha Question No. 3523 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-24
Subject: Guidelines and Standards for Charging of Electric Vehicles
Ministry: POWER
Asked by: Asaduddin Owaisi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF POWER LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3523 ANSWERED ON 24.03.2022

## GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS FOR CHARGING OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES

3523. SHRI ASADUDDIN OWAISI:

Will the Minister of POWER be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  in  a  move  to  reduce  transport  sector  carbon  foot  print  in  line  with  its COP26  commitment,  the  Government  has  issued  revised  guidelines  and  standards  for charging of electric vehicles;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the extent to which the new guidelines are likely to help in establishing electric vehicles charging stations on National Highways (NHs) and State capitals; and
- (d) the  response  of  the  public,  start  ups  and  private  entities  to  this  step  of  the Government?

## A N S W E R

THE MINISTER OF POWER AND NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY (SHRI R.K. SINGH)

(a) & (b) : Currently,  the  Indian  Road  transport  sector  is  dominated  by  gasoline  and diesel vehicles which cause GHG emissions. Electric Vehicles (EVs) adoption complemented with enhanced share of Renewables generation in the overall electricity grid mix hold immense potential to reduce emission intensity of Indian economy. In order to enable a transition towards e-mobility and to accelerate its adoption it is important to create safe, accessible, affordable and connected public EV charging ecosystem in the country.

In this direction, Ministry of Power, Government of India has issued Revised version  of  "Charging  Infrastructure  for  Electric  vehicles  consolidated  Guidelines  & Standards" on 14th January 2022. These Guidelines and Standards seek to proactively support creation of EV Charging Infrastructure, provide for  affordable tariff  chargeable from Public EV Charging station operators/owners and EV owners, enable EV owners to charge EVs at their residence/offices using their existing electricity connections, provide a revenue sharing model for land use to make operation of an EV Public charging station financially viable, prescribe timelines for providing connectivity for the Public Charging Station (PCS) and for rollout of EV Public Charging Infrastructure, outline the Infrastructure requirements for Public Charging Infrastructure.  The salient features as stipulated in the Guidelines and Standards are as under:

.........2.

- i. Tariff for supply of electricity for Public Charging Station (PCS) shall be a single part tariff and shall not exceed 'Average Cost of Supply' till 31st March, 2025.
- ii. DISCOMs may leverage on funding from the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS)  under  'Part  A  -  Distribution  Infrastructure'  for  the  general  upstream network augmentation necessitated due to the upcoming charging infrastructure in  various  areas.  The  cost  of  such  works  carried  out  by  the  DISCOMs  with  the financial assistance from Government of India under Revamped Scheme shall not be charged from the consumers for Public Charging Stations for EVs.
- iii. Housing Societies, Malls, Office Complexes, Restaurants, Hotels, etc. are allowed to  install  PCS  for  charging  of  vehicles  including  charging  of  visitor's  vehicles permitted to come in its premises.
- iv. Charging stations meant for 100% in-house/captive utilization are free to choose charging specifications as per requirement.
- v. DISCOMs  have  been  directed to provide electricity connection to PCS  in accordance with the timelines specified in the 'Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules 2020'.
- vi. The connection for a PCS shall be provided within 7 days in metro cities, 15 days in other municipal areas and 30 days in rural areas. Appropriate Commission may specify a lesser time limit than the aforementioned limit.
- vii. Any PCS/chain of charging station may also obtain electricity from any generation company through open access. Open access shall be provided within 15 days for this purpose. Only cross subsidy charges (not more than 20% as per Tariff Policy Guidelines), transmission charges and wheeling charges shall be applicable.
- viii. Guidelines also include the details of requirements of Public Charging Infrastructure  (PCI),  PCI  for  long  range  EVs  and/or  heavy  duty  EVs,  Location  of PCS, Database of Public EV charging stations, Tariff for supply of electricity to EV PCS and service charge at PCS.
- ix. Due  to  high  cost  of  rent  for  land  and  charges,  provision  of  land  at  promotional rates for PCS has been provided in the Guidelines. Land available with Government/Public  entities  shall  be  provided  to  Government/Public  entity  on  a revenue sharing basis at a fixed rate of Re.1/kWh (used for charging) to be paid to the land owning agency, initially for a period of 10 years.

..........3.

(c) : As  per  the  revised  consolidated  Guidelines  and  Standards  issued  by  the Ministry of Power on 14.01.2022, the deployment of public EV Charging Infrastructure is proposed  to  be  carried  out  in  two  phases.  Under  Phase  l,  all  mega  cities  with  a population  more  than  4  Million  and  all  existing  expressways  and  important  highways connected with these mega cities are proposed to be taken up for installation of public EV charging infrastructure. Under Phase-Il of the programme, the State Capitals, Union Territory  Headquarters,  and  important  highways  connected  with  these  cities  are proposed to be covered for installation of public charging infrastructure.

(d) : Ministry  of  Power  through  its  revised  Guidelines  and  Standards  for  Public EV  Charging  Infrastructure  has  made  provisions  to  encourage  private  public,  startups and private entities in setting up public charging stations such as:

- i. Any individual/entity is free to setup public EV charging station.
- ii. A Revenue sharing model has been prescribed for adoption by public landowning agency  for  providing  land  to  a  private  entity  for  installation  of  public  charging stations on bidding basis with floor price of Re. 1 / kWh.
- iii. Timelines  to  provide  Electrical  connectivity  to  public  EV  charging  stations  by Distribution Licensee have been specified.
- iv. Public EV charging station(s) have been permitted to obtain electricity from any generation company through Open Access.
- v. Promotional  Tariff  for  supply  of  electricity  to  public  EV  charging  stations  and battery charging stations has been specified to be single part tariff not exceeding the Average Cost of Supply till 31st March 2025.

Under  the  aforementioned  ecosystem  created  by  the  Government,  as  per the  data  available  with  Bureau  of  Energy  Efficiency  (BEE),  there  are  1633  public  EV charging stations, installed by various entities and are currently operational in India.

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