Eversource, UI Customers Eligible For Electric Vehicle Charger Rebates

CONNECTICUT — Switching to an electric vehicle can necessitate some home wiring and equipment upgrades, but residential Eversource and United Illuminating customers are eligible for up to $1,000 in rebates, plus ongoing incentives.

The programs provide up to $500 for wiring upgrades and up to $500 for the purchase of a connected EV charger. Both Eversource and UI representatives told Patch that the initial response for the programs has been strong. Customers can get full incentive details, plus learn more about EVs at newly-created Eversource and UI webpages.

UI has received 200 residential incentive applications, plus commercial applications that total more than 350 EV charging plugs in the company’s territory, said Richard Rosa, senior manager for electric vehicle programs and products.

About 1,300 residential Eversource customers have participated in the program so far, said Enoch Lenge, Eversource’s electric vehicle expert.

Owning an EV requires a shift in mindset about “filling up the tank,” Lenge said. Most charging occurs at home.

“To be able to have a gas station in your home allows for flexibility, you don’t have to focus on getting a full charge in public,” he said.

Public chargers help drivers with range anxiety and those who can’t charge at home. Eversource has received 700 commercial charging incentive applications, which total more than 2,400 charging plugs.

“We’ve seen a tremendous amount of participation, we have a 3-year goal on the commercial side that is almost already fully subscribed,” Lenge said.

Both UI and Eversource offer participating residential customers up to $200 annually for participating in demand response programs during the summer months.

Customers are typically notified a day in advance of a demand response event, which typically occur during the hottest days of the year when electricity use is high, Lenge said. Often, this occurs between 4 and 6 p.m. EV charging speed is reduced or stopped during the demand response. Customers can opt out up to twice per month and still get the $50 incentive.

Companies prepare for EV transition

An analysis by the U.S. Department of Energy concluded that sufficient energy generation and capacity are expected to be available even with high EV market growth. At times, U.S. energy consumption grew annually by the equivalent of putting 25 million light duty EVs on the road.

Transmission constraints need to be assessed and planned for, according to the analysis.

Both Eversource and UI representatives said they are ready for the EV transition and its increased electrical demands.

UI uses models developed by the U.S. Department of Energy plus its own data to forecast electricity demand both in the short and long term.

“We currently estimate the regional electricity demand from electric cars based on vehicle registrations, average daily mileage per vehicle, and average EV efficiency,” Rosa said.

UI is collaborating with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to forecast the long term impact of future EV charging, he said.

Eversource has been planning for the EV transition for a while as well, Lenge said.

“This is not a surprise to us, we’ve been preparing for this for a while, this [rebate] program is a perfect example of that,” Lenge said.