UP Becomes First Indian State to Call for EoI to Set Up EV Charging Stations

Uttar Pradesh has announced that it has invited expressions of interest (EoIs) from companies to set up charging stations for electric vehicles, the first state to do so after the Union power ministry issued guidelines for such facilities last December to create the infrastructure that will facilitate extensive use of the less polluting autos.

Delhi is feasibly the only city where such charging stations are available presently. The Centre’s guidelines are directed at faster adoption of electric vehicles in states such as Uttar Pradesh by ensuring safe, reliable, accessible and affordable electric charging infrastructure.

Uttar Pradesh has recognized eight cities, according to the EoI document that was issued on June 6 and seen by ET. These are Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi, Agra, Noida, Prayagraj, Ghaziabad and Meerut. It also wants them on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway, the Delhi-Agra Expressway and the Eastern Peripheral Expressway, as well as the proposed Purvanchal Expressway from Lucknow to Ballia that’s under construction.

Three major national highways passing through the state —NH-1, 24 and 27—have also been earmarked for this. Charging at homes or offices will be permitted through electricity distribution companies, the EoI said.

“The vast infrastructure and utilities needed to charge electric vehicles (EVs) hold the keys to accelerating their deployment,” the EoI said. “The setting up of electricity charging infrastructure can accelerate the growth of electric vehicles and thus address the menacing problem of air and noise pollution.”

The idea is to promote affordable tariffs besides generating employment and income opportunities for small entrepreneurs, the EoI said. It will support the creation of charging infrastructure in the initial phase and eventually create a market for the EV charging business, besides encouraging preparedness of the electrical distribution system to adopt charging infrastructure, the EoI said.

Uttar Pradesh is proposing that setting up public charging stations (PCS) be a delicensed activity and any individual or entity be allowed to establish them, provided that they meet technical and performance standards and protocols laid down by the power ministry.