Consumers Energy seeks to put 800 EV charging stations in Michigan

Dive Brief:

Consumers Energy has submitted a plan that calls for the installation of more than 800 electric vehicle charging stations in Michigan, Midwest Energy News reports.
Under the plan, Consumers would install 60 fast charging DC stations along major highways in the Lower Peninsula at intervals of about 50 miles and 750, 240-violt AC stations in metropolitan areas, starting with the largest cities and moving to smaller municipalities.
The plan calls for energy from the AC charging stations to be paid for by the station host and business owner. However, in its proposal before the Michigan Public Service Commission, Consumers’ requests that the installation costs of the EV stations be put into ratebase.

Dive Insight:

Utilities across the country are installing EV charging stations, but those plans can sometimes generate controversy.

The Kentucky Public Service Commission in April approved a plan by Louisville Gas and Electric and Kentucky Utilities to install 10 electric vehicle charging stations. Georgia Power has installed 11 EV charging station and plans to open 50 more by the end of 20116. And California utilities are working on an even larger scale. San Diego Gas & Electric plans to install up to 3,500 EV stations. Southern California Edison is installing up to 1,500 EV stations. And Pacific Gas and Electric is looking at building 7,500 EV stations. Outside parties have contested PG&E’s plans, claiming such plans limit competition and disadvantage third parties from entering the market for EV charging stations.

Consumers’ EV station plan has won approval from some backers, including environmental groups and General Motors, but others such as charging equipment manufacturer ChargePoint Inc. are protesting the plan. In testimony before the PSC, James Ellis, director of utility solutions at ChargePoint, said, “Consumers plan to use ratepayer money to enter into and inundate the EV charging market space could slow rather than accelerate adoption of EVs in the near and long term in Michigan.”

From Consumers’ point of view, their plan would provide wider public benefits. “Continued adoption of EVs can help boost our automotive state and the economy of Michigan as a whole,” Consumers spokesperson Brian Wheeler told Midwest Energy News.

In addition to the public charging stations, Consumers plans to customers who purchase an electric vehicle $1,000 toward the installation of a 240-volt home-charging station.