BC Hydro emailed customers on Tuesday morning to announce on July 28, an application was submitted to the B.C. Utilities Commission (BCUC) requesting an increase in current rates for public electric vehicle (EV) charging rates. The utility powers electricity for residents in B.C., Canada.
The proposal seeks slightly higher charges than the existing interim rates to facilitate the recovery of the costs associated with building and operating charging stations, as well as to keep pace with prevailing market rates.
If given the green light by BCUC, the new charging costs, effective from September 1, 2023, will be set at:
These rates will also be subject to Goods and Services Tax (GST).
The current rates were approved as part of a price increase back in the spring of 2021. That’s when BC Hydro axed free charging at fast chargers. Now free Level 2 charging will disappear if the latest proposals are approved.
The application also paves the way for potential future adjustments, including the introduction of energy-based pricing and idle fees, said BC Hydro.
The proposed rates and the 10-year deployment strategy were developed after careful evaluation of feedback received from customers and other interested parties through public consultation, said BC Hydro, which offers numerous EV charging stations that support CCS, which can let Tesla owners charge when using an adapter.
