Illinois Approves EV Charging Plan

The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) has approved energy company Ameren Illinois’ electric vehicle charging tariff, which will help jump-start electric vehicle adoption and charging station installation in central and southern Illinois, the company said.

The tariff, filed in August of 2020, allows the company to support the development of a network of charging infrastructure and implement special time-based delivery service rates and other incentives to encourage greater adoption of electric vehicles.

“A common barrier that people identify when considering EV ownership is range anxiety, the concern that a charging station will not be available during extended road travel. This tariff will help address this concern by providing rate incentives and supplemental line extension allowances that will improve accessibility to in-home and on-the-road charging infrastructure,” said Richard Mark, Chairman and President, Ameren Illinois, who noted there are fewer than 60 publicly available charging stations across Ameren Illinois’ 44,000 sq. mile service territory.

“The plan also includes additional supplemental line extension allowances for charging station installations that serve customers in low-income areas, to help support electric transportation for these customers,” Mark continued.

There are six components to Ameren Illinois’ Electric Vehicle Charging Program –

• Single Family Residential Charging. Includes a special delivery service rate to encourage at-home charging during non-peak hours.
• Multi-Family Residential Charging. Designed to encourage electric vehicle ownership among those living in multi-family facilities, while also giving those residents an option to charge at home. Also provides a special delivery service rate and supplemental line extension allowance for property owners who install charging facilities at their properties, with additional allowances for installations in low-income areas.
• Education Facility Charging. Offers special delivery service rates and incentives for electric school bus operators. Will support clean transportation for school children in the Ameren Illinois territory.
• Transit Facility Charging. Offers special delivery service rates and incentives for those customers who operate public electric transit buses. Will support Ameren Illinois’ low-to-moderate income customer base by providing a means for those who don’t own a vehicle to participate in the electrification of the transportation sector.
• Corridor Charging. Incentive for property owners and third-party entities to install publicly accessible fast charging stations in predetermined areas along transportation corridors.
• Non-Corridor Fast DC Charging. Rate incentives to encourage installation of public fast charging throughout the territory.

Customers will be able to begin enrolling in the new rate options beginning in Fall 2021.