California to Allow Utilities to Own Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure
December 19,2014
The California PUC has adopted an order which lifts the prohibition against utility ownership of electric vehicle charging infrastructure
The PUC's decision sets aside the requirement that the utilities demonstrate a “market failure” or “underserved market” as part of any request for authority to own plug-in electric vehicle charging infrastructure. This change is designed to allow for consideration of utility requests on a case-specific basis, the PUC said.
Review of each utility application to own electric vehicle charging infrastructure will include 1) The nature of the proposed utility program and its elements, for example, whether the utility proposes to own or provide charging infrastructure, billing services, metering, or customer information and education; 2) Examination of the degree to which the market that the utility program would enter is competitive, and in what level of concentration; 3) Identification of potential unfair utility advantages, if any; and 4) If the potential for the utility to unfairly compete is identified, the CPUC will determine if rules, conditions, or regulatory protections are needed to effectively mitigate the anticompetitive impacts or unfair advantages held by the utility.