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The Central Electricity Authority has floated a draft of the norms for ensuring the safety of electric vehicle charging stations and sought responses from stakeholders and the public by July 28.
The authority proposed these draft regulations under the Central Electricity Authority (Measures relating to Safety and Electric Supply) Regulations, 2022. Besides EVs, the regulations also cover all electrical installation, including plant and lines, and persons engaged in generation, transmission, distribution, trading, supply or use of electricity. The regulations were earlier notified in September 2010.
The exercise assumes importance in the light of several two-wheeler EVs catching fire resulting in the loss of life and property. The government swung into action and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had set up a committee to look into the accidents. The government also assured that it will come out with regulations to check such incidents.
EV charging stations
Under the draft norms, the CEA has proposed that EV charging stations should be equipped with a protective device against the uncontrolled reverse power flow from vehicles. Besides, the Direct Current (DC) EV charging point shall disconnect supply of electricity to prevent overvoltage at the battery, if output voltage exceeds maximum voltage limit sent by the vehicle.
“Exclusive transformers of adequate capacity shall be provided for EV public charging stations. Only dry type transformers, four-core cable shall be used for charging points which require three phase power,” it added.
On earthing, the authority proposed that all charging stations shall be provided with an earth continuity monitoring system that disconnects supply in the event that the earthing connection to the vehicle becomes ineffective.
For fire protection, the draft norms suggest that the enclosure of charging stations shall be made of fire retardant material with self-extinguishing property and free from halogen. Fire detection, alarm and control systems shall be provided as per relevant Indian Standards. Power supply cables used in charging stations or charging points shall conform to IEC 62893-1 and its relevant parts.
“Every charging station shall be tested and inspected by the owner or the Electrical Inspector or Chartered Electrical Safety Engineer before energisation,” it added.
The charging station’s owner shall ensure that test and inspection of the charging station is carried out every year in the initial period of first three years after the energisation and every four years thereafter, CEA said.
The owner of the charging station shall establish and implement a safety assessment programme for regular periodic assessment of the electrical safety of the charging station, it added.
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