BACC Editor on Tuesday, 07 August 2012 22:15
Alameda Power Managers Strive to Set New Electric Car Rates
As the availability and popularity of electric cars continue to grow, Alameda Power Municipal’s (AMP) managers are seeking to set new charging rates for electric vehicles (EVs). The new rate structure—slated for a November decision by Alameda’s Public Utilities Board—promises to generate both revenue for the utility and consumer savings.
AMP’s current rate policy grants discounts of between $9 and $21 per month to registered EV owners based on vehicle size or operation. Managers look to set a new rate structure that not only aligns more closely to what it costs the utility to buy the power needed to charge EVs, but also rewards nighttime charging when the utility has a surplus of energy.
In addition, AMP’s managers are considering a plan to install separate meters for EVs, which will qualify the utility for regulatory incentives and help it better measure the power usage of EV owners. Currently, only California’s big utilities offer customers the option of a separate meter for their cars and nighttime charging discounts, so next steps by AMP will strongly dictate how the state’s smaller utilities might draft their own charging policies.