Electric-vehicle owners in Trico Electric Cooperativeβs service area will soon be able to take advantage of βunlimitedβ charging during non-peak demand hours for a flat monthly fee, under a pilot rate plan approved by state regulators.
Tricoβs Residential Unlimited Electric Vehicle (R-EV-U) Tariff Pilot Program, approved by the Arizona Corporation Commission on Sept. 21, will be available to 1,000 customers with the aim of incentivizing off-peak EV charging.
The program features a monthly recurring charge of $64 to $71, based on the capacity of each participating customerβs charging equipment, with a rate of 25 cents per kilowatt hour during on-peak hours of 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., and from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. daily β with no kWh usage rate assessed for charging during off-peak hours.
Participating customers also can avoid the cost of installing a home charger under the plan.
Trico will install company-owned Level 2 EV charging equipment for each customer which will be individually metered to assure the equipment is used only for EV charging and will gather overall usage data for the program.
When it is rolled out later this year, the program will be available to up to 1,000 residential customers and excludes certain customer categories like those with Trico loans or special billing.
Customers must meet specific criteria, including proof of EV ownership and agreement to sub-metering, to participate.
Corporation Commission members supported the program, noting that it will likely encourage off-peak EV charging and thereby help Trico manage demand and system efficiencies.
Trico must file rate schedules for the new EV plan with the ACC by mid-October.
A few months ago, Trico began offering an experimental EV charging time-of-use plan, approved by regulators last year, that offers a 45% discount on up to 400 kWh of charging between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.
About 200 customers have signed up for that plan, Trico Chief Operating Officer Eric Hawkins told the commission.
Information about Tricoβs EV rates is available at tucne.ws/tricoevs.
Trico is a nonprofit electric co-op with about 50,000 members in rural parts of Pima, Pinal and Santa Cruz counties.
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