As the energy transition unfolds, interest in EVs among residential and business customers is growing. The OEB has a role to play in ensuring that the electricity grid is being planned to accommodate the rising number of EVs at customers’ homes and businesses and on the road. We are taking steps to standardize processes to support EV adoption, and we have resources to help customers make better informed decisions about their electricity price plan options.
The Ultra-Low Overnight (ULO) price plan
Power is personal. There are three price plans that residential and small businesses can choose from. The newest price plan – ULO – encourages shifting electricity use to overnight when provincewide electricity demand is lower, supporting the integration of EVs. The price plan has four price periods, including an ultra-low price that applies from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. every day.
To find out more about ULO and the other price plans, visit oeb.ca/choice. You can also use our bill calculator to see if ULO is right for you.
Learn about the Ultra-Low Overnight price plan.
Charger installations for residential customers
EV charging can use a lot of power and your service or electrical panel may need to be upgraded to handle the extra load. If you are thinking about installing an EV charger at your home, here are some good first steps:
- Visit the Electrical Safety Authority website to learn more about the safe installation of an EV charger and to find a licensed electrical contractor near you to help assess whether you need an upgrade to your electricity panel or service.
- Contact your utility for information on the process and requirements to connecting an EV charger at your home.
OEB staff has provided guidance to distributors highlighting that:
- New residential customers should be provided with capacity to accommodate 200-amp service as part of a basic residential connection; and
- If a service or panel upgrade in a home triggers the need for upgrades to the electricity distribution system, the OEB’s rules set the circumstances where the upgrades are to be paid for by the distributor rather than by the customer.
Charging station installations for non-residential customers (including multi-unit residential buildings)
Please note – distributors have until May 27, 2024, to implement the rules set out in this section.
If you are looking to install a public charging station, chargers in a workplace or a multi-unit residential/commercial building or a commercial EV fleet charging station, important information is set out in the OEB’s Electric Vehicle Charging Connection Procedures (EVCCP). The EVCCP establishes standardized and streamlined requirements that electricity distributors across the province must follow when dealing with requests to connect these charging facilities. The OEB’s Distribution System Code requires compliance with the EVCCP, and compliance with the Code is a condition of distributors’ licences. Customers looking to install charging stations of the kinds referred to above are advised to consult the EVCCP to understand the requirements and process.
Your distributor may have additional information and requirements regarding the connection of EV charging stations within their service area. Distributors are required to maintain Conditions of Service that describe their operating practices and connection policies, and those Conditions of Service must include any distributor-specific requirements related to EV charging stations that are not specified in the Distribution System Code or the EVCCP.
Steps for connecting EV charging stations (click each step for more detail):
The following overview of the steps set out in the EVCCP has been prepared as an introduction for customers that are considering an EV charging installation. Customers should read the EVCCP, which is the official OEB document.
STEP 1 (Optional): Request a preliminary consultation.
This is an optional step for the customer who is uncertain about site selection or committing to an EV charging installation. You can fill out the preliminary consultation information request form found on your distributor’s website and submit it to the distributor. Your distributor is required to respond to your request with a preliminary consultation report within 15 calendar days.
What you can expect to see in the report:
- Whether a distribution system expansion is likely to be required to provide the requested connection capacity.
- The estimated capacity at the connection point.
- An assessment of the expected complexity of connecting the EV charging station.
- Any additional information that the distributor may have and that may be useful to the customer, such as guidance on estimated costs and the possibility of installing a smaller charger that could reduce the costs and complexity of the connection.
STEP 2: Submit a formal written connection request.
Once you have decided to proceed, you can complete the connection request form found on your distributor’s website and submit it to your distributor. The form asks for the information that your distributor needs to know to prepare an offer to connect (see Step 4).
STEP 3: Distributor reviews your information.
Once your connection request is received, your distributor will review the information and confirm within 15 calendar days whether your request is complete or whether additional information is required.
If your charging station does not require a modification or addition to the distribution system, the distributor will let you know so you can proceed with your charging station installation. In that case, steps 4 to 7 do not apply (the connection of the charging station may still be subject to certain charges, in accordance with the distributor’s Conditions of Service).
STEP 4: Distributor makes an offer to connect.
If your proposed installation requires a modification or addition to the distribution system, the next step is for the distributor to provide you with an offer to connect. If the distributor does not require any additional information regarding your proposed charging station installation, it will make the offer to connect within 60 calendar days of receiving your connection request.
The initial offer to connect will include information about costs that you will have to pay and can be an estimated or firm offer. The details provided may vary based on the specific types of work needed to accommodate your charging station installation.
STEP 5: Project development and construction.
After you accept the offer to connect and provide any necessary payment according to the offer, the distributor will work with you to proceed to the connection of your charging station installation. The work to be done by you and by the distributor can likely proceed on parallel paths. A distributor is expected to maintain an appropriate level of communication with you throughout this step to facilitate the timely connection of the EV charging station.
STEP 6: Energization.
Once the necessary work has been done and all applicable service conditions are satisfied, the distributor is required to energize the facilities within five business days for low-voltage service (<750 volts) and 10 business days for high-voltage service (>750 volts). The distributor and customer may agree on a later energization date.
STEP 7: True-up (Final economic evaluation).
Once the charging station installation has been energized, the distributor will assess whether you are entitled to a credit or need to pay additional upfront amounts related to the connection. This assessment must be done in the manner set out in the Distribution System Code.
Still have questions?
Contact us or your electricity utility.