EB hikes rates, EV charging stns feel the heat

Operators say hike will raise their costs by 20%; govt says revision required for servicing high-capacity EV infra

- C SHIVAKUMAR @ Chennai

ELECTRIC vehicle charging operators in Tamil Nadu are bracing for higher electricity bills as the state's power regulator raised both energy and fixed charges under a revised tariff structure, effective July 1. The Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC) has retained its time-of-day (TOD) model for EV charging — first introduced in 2023 — but increased rates across the board, triggering fresh concerns about the economics of public charging.

Energy charges under the new structure now range from ₹6.50 per kWh during solar hours (9am-4pm) to ₹9.75 during peak hours (6am-9am and 6pm-10pm), up from ₹9.45. Night charging (10pm-6am) is priced at ₹8.10, compared to ₹7.85 earlier. More significantly, fixed charges for high-tension (HT) charging stations have more than doubled, from ₹145 to ₹304 per kVA per month. Unlike energy charges, these apply regardless of usage and are based on sanctioned load. For example, a 50kW fast-charging station will now pay ₹2,750 in monthly fixed charges, up from ₹1,300 (excluding electricity tax).