Tangedco yet to implement reduced public charging stations tariff announced by TNERC
The state government to reduce the charges. Even after the state government released its new e-vehicle policy.
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CHENNAI: Two months after the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission issued tariff orders to reduce energy charges for the charging station, Tangedco continues to charge old higher tariffs from the charging stations in the state, says a promoter of the public charging station.
Addressing a workshop on 'E-mobility in Tamil Nadu' organised by ITDP and Climate Trends, KP Karthikeyan, CEO and Director, of Zeon Electric Pvt Ltd said that after the last year's energy tariff hike in September, the operation of the charging stations has become unviable due to fixation of very high energy charges and fixed charges.
"We made a lot of representations to the state government to reduce the charges. Even after the state government released its new e-vehicle policy in February announcing incentives for the charging stations and reduction of energy charges, it was not implemented immediately. In July the new tariff order with reduction of the energy charges and demand charges was announced but the Tangedco is yet to implement it, " he said.
He said that after last year's tariff hike, the operation cost of the charging station including rent and other expenses went up to Rs 28-30 per unit but they were forced to charge an average of Rs 20-21 per unit making heavy losses. "Tangedco officials are saying that the software has not been updated to reflect the revised public charging stations tariff, " he said.
P Thirupathy Mahalincam, Head of Operation, Fast Track, said that cab owners in his firm were preferring CNG-fueled cars over electric cars considering the investment cost. "The incentive announced by the government in the new EV policy is not adequate to bring down the electric car price, " he said.
DR Dharmaraj, additional secretary, Bus and Car Operators Confederation of India said that considering the high cost of e-bus, the government should come out with various measures including GST waiver, reduction of quarterly taxes, toll charges exemption, loans at cheaper interest and longer repayment duration for operators to switch to EVs.
