BC Hydro’s Proposed EV Charging Rates Halted

#image_title

BC Hydro’s plan to modify public EV charging rates has been temporarily halted. The British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) announced on Thursday that it would not be approving the interim changes BC Hydro had proposed to introduce on September 1. As a result, current EV charging rates will remain unchanged.

BC Hydro’s public EV charging rate application came as a response to prior BCUC decisions and incorporated customer feedback. The utility company’s application highlights include:

• Transitioning to energy-based rates with the introduction of an extended stay fee.
• Expanding the charging network to over 3,000 units in the next decade.
• Gradually increasing the power output of their charging stations.
• Introducing a greater number of level 2 charging options.

In lieu of immediate approval, the BCUC has decided to launch an expedited review process to further evaluate BC Hydro’s proposals. BC Hydro is the power utility for the province of British Columbia in Canada.

BC Hydro emailed customers in late July about its proposals, which would increase EV charging rates and also eliminate free level 2 charging.