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Vermont Public Utility Commission Approves Green Mountain Power Corporation's Public Electric Vehicle Charging Station Rate Schedule Exemption

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The Vermont Public Utility Commission has issued an order approving Green Mountain Power Corporation's tariff filing to implement a new public electric vehicle charging station rate schedule exemption. The exemption will allow separately metered charging stations to be exempt from the threshold kW and kWh limitations in Rate 6, removing a financial barrier and encouraging the deployment of publicly available fast-charging stations in GMP's service territory. The Vermont Department of Public Service recommends that the revisions be approved without a hearing or further investigation, noting that current load demand from EV charging stations is sufficiently low to justify at least a temporary exemption.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Vermont Public Utility Commission has approved Green Mountain Power Corporation's tariff filing to implement a new public electric vehicle charging station rate schedule exemption, effective with bills rendered on or after January 30, 2021.
  • The exemption will allow separately metered charging stations to be exempt from the threshold kW and kWh limitations in Rate 6, providing a financial incentive for the installation of publicly available fast-charging electric vehicle equipment.
  • The Vermont Department of Public Service recommends that the revisions be approved without a hearing or further investigation, noting that current load demand from EV charging stations is sufficiently low to justify at least a temporary exemption.
  • Green Mountain Power Corporation agrees to submit annual reports to the Commission and the Department describing fast-charging station deployment, use, and coincident peak loads.
  • Demand charges are a significant barrier to the development of electric vehicle supply equipment, and the Commission supports utility efforts to develop tariffs that provide electric service to publicly available EV-charging stations.
  • The exemption proposed by GMP is responsive to the Commission's recommendation to encourage the deployment of charging stations while providing appropriate cost recovery to the utility.

Statistics:

  • The tariff changes will take effect with bills rendered on or after January 30, 2021. (01/30/2021)
  • Annually, for a period of five years, Green Mountain Power Corporation will submit a report to the Commission that includes the following data and information:

+ The total number of publicly accessible DC fast charger locations using the Rate 6 exemption

+ The total number of publicly accessible DC fast charger locations using the Rate 6 exemption that were installed within the previous twelve months

+ The total number of publicly accessible DC fast charger locations that do not use the Rate 6 exemption (if known to GMP)

+ Actual evidence of limited coincident peak contribution - provision of actual load characteristics of the charging stations that utilize the demand charge exemption and reporting of actual costs incurred

Sources:

  • Vermont Public Utility Commission, Case No. 20-3832-TF, Order Approving Tariff Filing (01/29/2021)
  • Vermont Department of Public Service, Comments on Proposed Tariff Change (01/15/2021)
  • Green Mountain Power Corporation, Reply Comments on Proposed Tariff Change (01/15/2021)
  • Vermont Public Utility Commission, Report to the State Legislature: Promoting the Ownership and Use of Electric Vehicles in the State of Vermont (June 27, 2019)

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