1,000 EV charging units in Karnataka by June end: Minister

Minister for Energy and Kannada and Culture V Sunil Kumar, on Saturday, said that the state would get an additional 1,000 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations by the end of June and a special drive will be conducted to promote EVs.

The minister was addressing the stakeholders of EVs, during the inauguration of a symposium on ‘EV and its charging technologies,’ organised by Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Company (CESC) at Karnataka Electricity Board Engineers Association (KEBEA) Training Institute at Kadakola near here.

The minister said the charging units or stations will be established at district headquarters, tourist places, state and national highways.

Government offices are directed to provide space to establish charging stations, he said.

Kumar said the Energy department has achieved 80% success in replacing defunct transformers within 24 hours of a complaint.

“As many as 8,087 transformers have been replaced under the jurisdiction of CESC. With a production of 7,000 megawatts of electricity from renewable sources, the state stands first in the country,” he said.

A charging station, established on the KEBEA premises by a private company, was opened on Saturday. It can charge three cars and two-wheelers at a time.

CESC managing director Jayavibhavaswamy said CESC has urged the National Highways Authority of India to make provisions to establish 10 charging units on the Mysuru-Bengaluru highway.

CESC has identified 155 locations in Mysuru, Chamarajanagar, Mandya, Hassan and Kodagu districts for setting up EV charging stations.

Initially, charging units will be established at government offices. CESC has set up EV charging stations in the city at the Mysuru Circle office in Kuvempunagar and at the NR Mohalla sub-division office in Rajendranagar.

The MD said private persons are coming forward to establish charging units. To promote setting up of the units, CESC will offer subsidised tariff.

CESC will charge Rs 5 per unit for EV stations and the owners can earn up to Rs 2 per unit. However, it will cost Rs 15 per unit for the consumers, he added.