TN to set up more Public Charging Stations as Electric Vehicles become popular

Chennai, Jan 27 (IANS) Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Company (TANGEDCO) plans to set up more Public Charging Stations(PCS) across the state as the demand for Electric Vehicles is on the rise.

Currently, the PCs are present only in Metro stations and users of Electric Vehicles (EVs) are of the opinion that more PCs are required as long rides are impossible due to lack of charging stations across the highways.

TANGEDCO is planning to increase the tariff rates of the PCs and is preparing a new plan and awaiting Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC)'s approval for finalising the tariff. At present Metro, terminals are charging Rs 10 per hour and a two-wheeler run on electric power can travel up to 30 km on charging for one hour.

The Union Government has already directed the states to implement PCS be set up every 25 km on both sides of the highway and the TANGEDCO has already commenced work for setting up such facilities.

The Ministry of Power, Government of India has already communicated to state governments run power bodies like TANGEDCO to invite young entrepreneurs to run the PCS.

It may be noted that the Centre has already sanctioned 651 PCS for Tamil Nadu under the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles (FAME) scheme but till now not a single PC has been built in the state other than those in the Metro stations.

Senior Engineers with the TANGEDCO are of the opinion that the department must set up PCS within substations in National highways as well as in city limits as there would be power fluctuations and to overcome this it is better to set up in substations.

With the Union Government supporting the state Power department's to set up PCS across the state to improve the Electric Vehicle sales for increasing the Carbon footprint, it is up to the TANGEDCO to immediately jump the bandwagon and implement as many PCS as possible within Tamil Nadu.