Assembly OKs plan for EV charging network
State approved for federal funds, but needs to change utility law
A pair of bills that clear the way for the state to work with privately owned businesses to develop a network of high-speed electric vehicle chargers along Wisconsin’s major highways moved closer to final approval from the state Legislature Thursday.
The legislation aligns state law with the requirements of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program, a federal initiative that aims to build 500,000 electric vehicle chargers along the nation’s highways and in communities. Wisconsin is approved to receive $78.6 million through the program, but the state Department of Transportation has been unable to spend the money because current law allows only regulated utilities to directly sell electricity to customers.
As a result, charging station operators in Wisconsin charge customers for the amount of time their vehicle is plugged in, which introduces uncertainty for customers about how much it will cost and how long it will take to charge their vehicles. To ensure price transparency, the NEVI program requires participating EV charging station operators to sell electricity based on the kilowatt hour, or the amount of electricity provided.
One of the bills allows such sales by exempting charging station operators from the state’s definition of a utility and the regulations that go with that designation. That bill was approved by the Assembly Thursday, but with an amendment prohibiting local government from requiring private developers to install charging stations as a condition of building or conditional use permits.
The other bill approved by the Assembly authorizes the DOT to disburse the funds, which will cover up to 80% of the cost of setting up charging stations.
The state Senate approved the bills in January. It will need to reconsider the amended bill before its session ends in mid-March.
Gov. Tony Evers is expected to sign the legislation, a version of which was removed by lawmakers from his last budget proposal.
Rep. Nancy VanderMeer, R-Tomah, a former auto dealer who sponsored the Assembly bills, said the legislation “brings together aspects of free market opportunity, consumer access, and transportation funding” via a 3 cent per kilowatt hour tax.
“There is demand for electric vehicles, they’re on the road and I believe that people should generally be able to make that choice,” she said. “These proposals are important because they take an important first step in providing infrastructure for consumers that have made that choice and it will also allow our state to secure $78 million in federal National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure funding.”
Charging network seen as key step in EV adoption
Wisconsin currently has just four stations that meet NEVI criteria of having at least four high-speed charging ports that are compatible with all vehicle makes. All of those stations are located along Interstate 94 between West Milwaukee and Eau Claire.
Bringing this infrastructure to the rest of Wisconsin will increase the amount and scope of Wisconsin’s charging network and provide reliable EV charging infrastructure to rural areas of Wisconsin.
Expanding fast and reliable EV charging to less traveled state and federal highways is an important step in speeding adoption of electric vehicles, said Sam Dunaski, executive director of RENEW Wisconsin, a clean energy advocacy group based in Madison.
“Wisconsin is one of only two states that restricts the ability of EV charging station operators to display and charge fees by the kilowatt hour,” Dunaski said. “Removing this restriction would ... protect consumers who might pay more for slower charging.”
In anticipation of the legislation’s approval, the DOT in early January began soliciting proposals from business owners who want to set up charging stations. Under program rules developed by the agency, the state would help private business develop a network of about 60 high-speed charging stations within 50 miles of each other along highways that have been identified as Alternative Fuel Corridors. That includes the interstate highways as well as seven U.S. highways and part of State Highway 29.
Applications to participate in the program are due April 1, after which the DOT will review the proposals and begin “working quickly to identify grant awardees,” a DOT spokesperson said.