Time of Use Tariff to support EV Owners
The approval of the Time Of Use (ToU) tariff by the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL), which is the electricity sector regulator, for single phase customers is expected to support electric vehicle (EV) owners. Previous, this tariff was only available for three phase connections with usage exceeding 30A.
The move promotes the usage of electricity during off peak hours, and hopes to push EV owners to charge their vehicles later at night, rather than during the evenings which already sees a high consumption demand. The move is to not only cater to existing EVs on the roads, but also to proactively change charging behaviours before EVs become a larger part of the local market, as they have in many western countries. With an estimated 4000 electric vehicles in the country; the PUCSL, which was appointed to by the regulator for the EV charging industry by the government, is looking to help promote the usage of these more environmentally friendly vehicles by supporting the public through the ToU.
The ToU means that per unit cost will be Rs. 54/- during peak hours (18:30 to 22:30), Rs. 25/- during the day (05:30 to 18:30), and only Rs.13/- during off peak hours (22:30 to 05:30). The ToU will also carry a fixed monthly charge of Rs. 540.
The Indian government has banned the use of red beacon lights by ministers and senior officials to help reduce dangerous driving instances, and ease the stress on the already busy streets. Only emergency vehicles will now be allowed to use blue flashing lights.
In Sri Lanka, while a similar rule has been passed to prevent the use of LED red/blue flashing lights, the usage by Ministerial vehicles has resulted in a lack of implementation on roads. These lights are widely available for purchase and can be acquired for under Rs. 2000/-. Though instructions have been passed on to the public by both police and the government, the usage of these lights by non-emergency vehicles remains an issue, with drivers using these lights as an excuse to drive recklessly.
A Lesson from our Neighbors?
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