Electromobility - How the end of a deadline affects e-charging stations
The end of a transitional period for a regulation in the Energy Economics Act is driving power grid providers in Rhineland-Palatinate to also affect the infrastructure at electric charging stations. It is expected that mainly the southern part of the state will be affected. This concerns Paragraph 7c of the Energy Economics Act. It stipulates that operators of electricity distribution networks may not be owners of charging points for electric vehicles, nor may they develop, manage, or operate them.
For companies with fewer than 100,000 connected customers, the deadline for handover was until the end of this year. However, as of January 1, 2025, they will no longer be allowed to operate charging infrastructure for electric cars. In Rhineland-Palatinate, there are 22 energy companies that operate both networks and charging stations in Rhineland-Palatinate, as the Economic Ministry in Mainz informs the Free Voters' Fraction in response to an inquiry. These operated approximately 190 charging stations.
As far as can be seen, the affected companies concentrated mainly in the southern parts of the state, as the ministry continues, as the network structure of the network operators is predominantly smaller there compared to the north. However, a threat to the state infrastructure is not to be expected. "The state government takes this topic into account in its further planning for the expansion of the charging infrastructure."
The head of the Energy Economics and Corporate Steering department of the City Utilities Frankenthal, Christian Kopecki, stated that, due to the large number of smaller works in Rhineland-Palatinate, many suppliers and thus also many municipalities are affected by the end of the transitional period. As options, he mentioned the decommissioning of public charging points, their sale, or the founding of a company responsible for the land infrastructure.
The regulation in Paragraph 7c of the Energy Economics Act is quite comprehensive, Kopecki stated. Therefore, maintenance and billing are also affected. The City Utilities Frankenthal are currently examining whether they will sell their charging infrastructure or integrate it into a company that is currently being set up as a cooperative project by various suppliers.
At EnergieSüdwest AG in Landau, the business with charging stations was already structurally changed some time ago. The parent company is currently still investing in the charging infrastructure, a company takes care of administration, billing, and technical maintenance of the charging points. All charging stations will be transferred to this company by the end of the year, and it will build new infrastructure in the future. The company offers other energy suppliers the opportunity to participate. Thus, they can outsource their charging infrastructure and still control the design of prices and earnings with charging stations.
- Due to the ending transitional period for electromobility regulations, power grid providers in Rhineland-Palatinate are adjusting their electric charging station infrastructure, primarily affecting the southern part of the state.
- Companies operating fewer than 100,000 connected customers in Rhineland-Palatinate must relinquish their control of charging infrastructure for electric cars by the end of this year, but will no longer be allowed after January 1, 2025.
- Christian Kopecki, head of the Energy Economics and Corporate Steering department in Frankenthal's City Utilities, emphasizes that various suppliers and municipalities in Rhineland-Palatinate are challenged by this transition period.
- Paragraph 7c of the Energy Economics Act extensively regulates electromobility, including aspects like maintenance, billing, and even ownership restrictions for charging stations.
- EnergieSüdwest AG in Landau has already restructured its charging station business, creating a separate company to handle administration, billing, and maintenance operations.
- To accommodate this new reality, the newly formed company is offering other energy suppliers the chance to outsource their charging infrastructure while maintaining control over pricing and revenues associated with charging points.
