Illinois Report Says Legal Status of EV Charging Stations, Service Providers Unclear

The legal status of electric vehicle public charging stations is a key unresolved issue and will require legislation to clarify, says the Illinois Commerce Commission's Plug-In Electric Vehicle Initiative Report.

"Our policies promoting the use of real-time pricing and of competitive retail choice already provide customers with a roadmap for matching their electric supply to their PEV charging patterns," ICC Chairman Doug Scott said of the report.

However, the legal status of public charging stations and EV service providers remains unclear.

The report recommends that the Commission should coordinate with the Illinois Electric Vehicle Advisory Council (EVAC) to explore recommending new state legislation, promoting uniformity of policies and laws assuring the continued development of an accessible and convenient Electric Vehicle Equipment and Service Provider charging network throughout Illinois supported by open and competitive markets.

The Commission will review and consider support for legislation that clarifies the legal status of public charging stations. However, support is dependent on the specific provisions and requirements of any such proposal. While the Commission will coordinate where appropriate with the EVAC, as an independent State agency the Commission has its own legislative review process.

A working group also noted that if the General Assembly were to take up this issue, consideration should be made for an Electric Vehicle Equipment and Service Providers exemption under the Public Utilities Act for EV Service Provider companies that simply wish to act as customers of utilities or retail electric suppliers.