QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ON INSTALLING ELECTRIC VEHICLE SUPPLY EQUIPMENT FOR OVER 100 YEARS…LIFE.POWERED BYBY EDISON FOR OVER 100 YEARS LIFE POWERED EDISON Table of Contents: I II III IV V VI VII Installing Charging Stations Load Calculations and Analysis Permitting Safety Electric Rules and Service Requirements Second Meter Installations Miscellaneous Intro Helping Customers Navigate the Ins and Outs of Fueling Electric Vehicles Plug-in Electric Vehicles are here, and more they bring them home SCE is working with Typically, installing an electric vehicle supply are on the way SCE wants to help make automakers, car dealers, electric vehicle equipment (EVSE), commonly referred to charging them simple, safe and economical service providers and local cities to help as EV charging stations, is a straightforward for customers educate customers process; however, unique challenges may pop up Following are answers to some EVs offer the convenience and ease of SCE has a comprehensive website to help of the questions you may have about the charging from home But, there are several customers and cities understand the home process decisions customers will need to make about charging station installation process Visit their home charging infrastructure before www.sce.com/ev Contact Information: We know you may have some additional questions about EVSEs and we’re here to help Please contact us at PEVReadiness@sce.com or call 1800-4EV-INFO I Installing Charging Stations Many municipalities, businesses, multi-family housing units and individual homeowners are expressing interest in installing charging stations for electric vehicles Does SCE provide charging Yes, we have a number of publications and information on SCE.com/EV to help you You can find a station installation information? list of companies manufacturing and/or installing EVSE at www.pluginamerica.org/accessories Can Electric Vehicle Supply Yes, the EVSE can be moved, but first check with your local city or county to see if there are any specific Equipment (EVSE) be moved? rules and regulations In general, it’s easier to move a hard-connected EVSE than a hard-wired EVSE For example, when someone Additionally, carefully consider moving equipment from one location to another since the customer’s sells their house, or visits and/or SCE’s electrical equipment may not be sized for the alternate location their vacation home? If customers decide to move their EVSEs, they’ll need to inform SCE Tariff Rule 3C states: “Change in Customer’s Equipment or Operations The customer shall give SCE written notice of the extent and nature of any material change in the size, character, or extent of the utilizing equipment or operations for which SCE is supplying electric service before making any such change.” Table of Contents ! Installing Charging Stations Is it possible to have a switch Because each property is different, please ask a qualified electrician whether the property can to alternate between the charging accommodate an A/B switch, as well as your local city or county to see if they allow it If customers of two PEVs (an A/B switch so decide to install an A/B switch, they’ll need to inform SCE Tariff Rule 3C states: “Change in the PEVs can be charged one Customer’s Equipment or Operations The customer shall give SCE written notice of the extent after another)? and nature of any material change in the size, character, or extent of the utilizing equipment or operations for which SCE is supplying electric service before making any such change.” If the installation is permitted and inspected, then the residential customer has two rate options: the residential rate (D) or the TOU-D-TEV rate We encourage our customers to call SCE to learn more about their rate options An A/B switch could be used with a traditional residential rate (D) or one of SCE’s electric car rates—TOU-D-TEV—but is not allowed with the other electric car rate—TOU-EV-1—which is separately metered and not allowed for other appliances If the panel is not compliant Yes, we can if the panel is not compliant with SCE’s ESR However, we try to work closely with with SCE’s Electrical Service electricians to make sure this doesn’t happen You can read the ESR here As an electrician or Requirements (ESR), can do-it-yourself homeowner, you also need to make sure your customer is compliant with SCE’s ESR SCE require the customer to move the panel? EVSE has the potential to While we don’t handle those issues, we recommend that you ask your local city or county whether be connected by a 12” line to they allow hard-connected instead of hard-wired EVSE in residential applications under NEC article 625 an outlet; does NEC article 625 It’s important to note that cities and counties require the EVSE, plus the installation instructions, to be allow “hard connected” instead approved by Underwriters Lab (UL) or another nationally recognized testing lab UL approval for a of “hard wired” EVSE in hard-connected EVSE that meets NEC article 625 requirements is still unclear residential applications? Table of Contents ! Installing Charging Stations II Load Calculations and Analysis SCE requires that load calculations and analysis must be performed prior to installing EVSE to determine whether the customer’s existing electric service panel has sufficient capacity to add EV charging or if it will need to be upgraded Do cities have plan checks that Depending on the city, most permit applications usually require an electrician to perform a load analysis require load analysis? To not delay the permitting process, electrical contractors should check with the city or county’s permit department How does the local permitting The installing electrician should provide the local authority with detailed information such as the existing department know how much load, the additional charging load, wire and circuit breaker size There are checklists similar to ones used PEV charging will overload a already in some cities for hot tubs that help the local authority to determine if the load is adequate You dedicated or non-dedicated can find check list examples in the California Electric Code’s appendix, from the International Code circuit? Council (ICC) or specific cities Does SCE load calculations Yes, if customers let SCE know about their PEV purchase, we will visit the PEV customer site to evaluate and visit every charging site? whether SCE’s electrical equipment loads are sized to meet the EV demand We can also provide (kW) Can SCE provide load (kW) information, upon customer request However, SCE’s experience is that the type of load calculation that information from the current or SCE planners perform does not satisfy the requirements of permit and inspection desk staff at cities or new smart meters in residences counties to help the permit and inspection staff at the city or county with their load calculation? Table of Contents II Load Calculations and Analysis Sometimes the existing SCE service We’ve designed our electric distribution system according to the SCE Distribution Design Standards, can’t support a load that can be and base design on current expected loads as well as potential growth in an area Because needs served by a panel How does SCE change, these standards are dynamic and are being updated as we build the Smart electrical system design its distribution system If you’re interested in regulations, Rules 15.A.1.a and 16.A.1 state that SCE will be responsible for capacity? planning, designing, and engineering Distribution Line and Service Extensions using SCE’s standards for design Additionally, Section DDS-8 2.0 of SCE’s Design Standards notes that service cables shall be selected to meet the expected demand without exceeding the voltage drop and flicker criteria, as described in the same section Table of Contents II Load Calculations and Analysis III Permitting Depending on the city or county, the EVSE installation permitting process can vary from being straightforward to slightly more complex The key is to check with each permitting department to find out its requirements Are drawings available to help We not provide guidelines or drawings regarding EVSE installation Our information pertains to the inspectors, electricians and SCE’s side of the meter and includes requirements for electric panel locations and acceptable panel customers understand the most connections to Edison’s service common single family or multifamily EVSE installations? Can you install a Yes, it is possible for a customer to charge their PEV at Level without a permit because EVs come with level (120 volts) an electric cord that the customer may plug into an existing 120v socket It’s important that an electrician or (240 volts) EVSE evaluates the circuit to determine if it can safely charge the EV, and upgrade the circuit, as needed Level installation without permits? charging involves additional wiring and equipment that usually requires a permit so check with your local city or county about permit requirements In addition to a permit, is a plan The customer or electrician should check with the city or county, as a plan check and/or a work analysis check and work analysis required may be required if the residential electrical panel is very large (e.g 400 amps) if the residential electrical panel is very large (e.g 400 amps)? Table of Contents III Permitting Do electricians need to submit Each local city or county has different requirements so we suggest you contact the appropriate single line drawings? permitting authority How should customers and If you have an older home, first consult with a qualified electrician and, if needed, with the local city or electricians handle older homes county The small size of the panels in smaller, older homes may mean an electrical panel upgrade is with glass fuses instead of needed breakers? Would notifying SCE about Yes, SCE would use the permit information to cross check SCE’s database to identify SCE customers all customers’ requests for who have not notified the utility regarding their PEV purchase SCE will then review the customer’s a permit for EVSE-related historical kilowatt hour usage/load/demand and the additional PEV charging load to ensure that SCE’s installations help SCE’s electrical equipment is capable of handling the demand As a result, an upgrade to the customer’s distribution planning process? electrical equipment may be needed Table of Contents III Permitting IV Safety Keeping our customers and employees safe is the most important thing we at SCE What actions are required if Please consult with your local authority, as well as SCE, about fire code requirements since city or two panels at a residence or local requirements may include the need to clearly label the panels to alert emergency personnel business are not in the same of the existence of two panels Since SCE’s tariffs not allow for a separate service installation to location? This may cause new dedicated EV panel, both panels should be in proximity to each other A homeowner installing safety problems for the fire EV panels without consulting SCE and or the city/local authority may be required to relocate the panels department in an emergency Table of Contents IV Safety V Electric Rules and Service Requirements Like other utilities throughout the nation, SCE has a number of electrical service requirements If you’d like to review them, you can find them here Following are some additional questions relating to SCE’s electrical rules and requirements When does SCE require that The requirements vary based on location and situation If you have a question, residential PEVs underground please contact SCE at 1-800-4EV-INFO the overhead electrical service? Does SCE offer qualified We encourage all our customers to hire qualified, licensed electricians and to verify their credentials electricians specific EVSE We also require all electrical work to comply with the SCE Electrical Service Requirements and station installation requirements? other technical specifications You can review SCE’s electrical service requirements here Is there a way to improve We always believe there’s a way to improve a process Ideally, the customer contacts us to let us know communications between he or she wants to buy an EV and provides the name of the selected electrician This information goes SCE Planners and electricians? to the SCE planner who will visit the customer site to evaluate SCE’s infrastructure The SCE planner will identify possible locations for a second panel, which is needed if the EV-TOU-1 rate is selected, as well as contact the electrician to discuss the situation, as needed 10 Table of Contents V Electric Rules and Service Requirements When commercial and For commercial charging station installations, customers should contact SCE planners as early as governmental SCE customers possible Electric vehicle rates contain provisions on the ownership of vehicles to be charged contract with charging station So commercial (non-residential) charging would be allowed on an existing residential rate companies, will the customer have to “piggyback” onto We also encourage customers to read tariffs carefully for any restrictions or special conditions when existing SCE rates, such deciding to add load to existing accounts/rates Street lighting and traffic control rates are for these as irrigation, traffic light applications only, and agricultural and pumping rates contain provisions regarding appropriate use or street lamp rates? A customer with an existing commercial service account may allow charging on that account However, no commercial (non-residential) charging would be allowed on an existing residential rate Can hobbyists or small Possibly, but the customer must consult with an electrical contractor, SCE and the city or local start-ups high level authority to see if it is allowed High-level charging (30-50 kW) is a significant electrical load DC charging (between Additionally, a customer must notify SCE under Rule 3C which states: “Change in Customer’s 30-50 kW) in their home? Equipment or Operations The customer shall give SCE written notice of the extent and nature of any material change in the size, character, or extent of the utilizing equipment or operations for which SCE is supplying electric service before making any such change.” Concern has been expressed Under CPUC approved rules, SCE does not pay for electrical equipment on the customer side about cost to upgrade the of the meter Rule 16 addresses customer requirements for work on the customer side of the customer’s panel if service is meter whether overhead or underground underground Will SCE pay for this upgrade? If so how much? Does SCE require a city or In general, SCE does not require this, but please check with your local city or county However, county to go from overhead If we cannot serve the requested upgrade with overhead facilities due to the size of the required to underground service for transformation, we will require the upgraded service to go underground large residential remodels? 1 Table of Contents V Electric Rules and Service Requirements VI Second Meter Installations Does the National electric code No, however, SCE’s Tariff Rule 16.B.2 states: Number of Meters Normally only one meter will be prohibit a second meter? installed for a single-family residence or a single non-residential enterprise on single premises, except: • When otherwise required or allowed under SCE’s tariff schedules; • At the option of and as determined by SCE, for its operating convenience, consistent with its engineering design; or • When required by law or local ordinance • When additional services are granted by SCE Is more than one service drop Ordinarily SCE will not provide more than one service except as provided by tariffs, for SCE operating allowed per address? convenience, per ordinances or other reasons SCE’s TOU-EV-1 rate for a dedicated EV meter requires that the second meter is connected to the residence’s existing single drop For more information, please see SCE Rule 16.C.2 Will SCE ask the city to issue No a second address for SCE’s TOU-EV-1 rate that requires a second meter? How does the SCE service We’ve streamlined and sped up our processes to make them a bit easier First, the planner will evaluate planner handle the end-to-end SCE’s electrical service equipment to ensure it will meet the EV’s increased electrical load requirements process including installing Then, the planner will advise the electrician/customer where the new meter panel and meter should a second meter for the be placed based upon SCE’s Electrical Service Requirements, and will also advise the requestor he PEV TOU-EV-1 rate? or she will need an inspection Once the inspection approval notification is received, our SCE planner will schedule the required upgrades and the TOU-EV-1 meter installation 12 Table of Contents VI Second Meter Installations Can a dual meter adapter be No SCE is not currently using a dual meter adapter used instead of a second panel in order to get the second meter EV rate? Is there progress in getting No SCE does not currently plan to use a dual adapter for PEV installations new dual meter adapter—rated at 100 amps—listed with Underwriters Lab or another recognized testing lab? What can a city to minimize SCE has policies in place to address use of the second meter EV rate (EV-1 account) for general EV owners moving and leaving domestic purposes For example, Rule 11 G addresses tariff non-compliance: “Non-compliance behind second meters that Except as otherwise specifically provided in this Rule 11, where SCE determines that a customer is could eventually be used in non-compliance with any tariff schedule, SCE at its option may, after at least five days written notice to make an illegal residence and until the customer complies with such notice: or “granny flat”? If SCE learns • Transfer the customer to another tariff schedule for which the customer can qualify; or that non-EV usage is on an • Withhold payment of any credits or discounts applicable to the customer’s existing tariff schedule; or EV account, what happens? • Discontinue service to the customer Does SCE require proof of the No However, when a customer calls SCE requesting a PEV rate, SCE asks the customer a series of customer having a PEV before questions including the make/model of the PEV and expected delivery date they get the 2nd meter rate? 13 Table of Contents VI Second Meter Installations Does SCE or the city or county No SCE does not specify or advise customers or electricians about the specific type or brand of require a listed (e.g UL, ETL, equipment to use We recommend that if there are any questions, the customer or electrician should et.al) meter socket for the consult with the local authority SCE does have specific service requirements for meter panels as electrician to use for the referenced in SCE’s Electrical Service Requirements, which you can read here Additionally, please check second meter? with your city or county as they may require the meter socket to be listed with a testing lab such as Underwriters Laboratory (UL) How will a second meter be You can find the various configurations in SCE’s Electrical Service Requirements (ESR) configured with the panel, weather head and service drop? Does SCE require a certain This would be the customer’s choice, but the customer should consult with the local authority regarding size for the second panel or requirements SCE has established maximum panel sizes for residential customers and minimum load meter socket box serving requirements for available voltages specified in our tariff Rule SCE is aware that some customers may the second meter? want or have more than one EV or PHEV on the SCE - TOU-EV-1 rate Does the installation of the new No, the current generation of SmartConnect meters is not capable of replacing the second panel and SCE SmartConnect™ meter mean meter requirement SCE and other utilities are researching this, as well as working with the Society of that the customer doesn’t need a Automotive Engineers, the National Institute of Standards & Technology and others to develop this next- second panel and meter required generation technology For example, one of our goals is to integrate the second meter into the home for SCE’s TOU-EV-1 rate? charging station and eliminate the need for a second panel and meter configuration 14 Table of Contents VI Second Meter Installations What are we doing to inform our It’s each customer’s responsibility to research the pros and cons of acting now or waiting for a future customers about the possibility technology Today, a separate meter is needed for the residential TOU-EV-1 rate and the commercial of charging stations including TOU-EV-3 and TOU-EV-4 rates However, we’re working with manufacturers on a sub meter solution and a submeter? associated protocols as part of a future EVSE An existing home charging station and second meter will still function in the future once next generation charging stations with submeters are on the market My residential charging There’s no way for SCE to bill from a non-SCE meter except for Direct Access station already has a submeter Will SCE For the other situations, the California PUC is currently assessing proposals to establish submetering let me hook it up? standards including technology, compatibility, associated back-office billing costs and other related issues 15 Table of Contents VI Second Meter Installations VII Miscellaneous The old 1990s charging No They are no longer owned by Edison International Contact the owners regarding stations have the Edison logo any safety concerns on them Will SCE be removing them, as some are vandalized or broken and need removal and replacement? It doesn’t appear the city is That is correct PEV is one of the alternatives to help reduce the State’s carbon footprint required by law to be PEV ready, rather it appears that the State is incentivizing cities to so via grants and loans Correct? The city is interested in Infrastructure readiness is an important part of supporting the PEV deployment in California and there constructing a PEV charging is financial investment that goes along with it Currently, a statewide effort is underway to determine station; however, it is still in the where, when and how much investment is reasonable during the early stages of the PEV market fact gathering stage and its PEV Involvement with SCAG or other Clean Cities Coalition will help decide the best investment and site is likely a number of years business model to build the PEV infrastructure in the city However, there are two critical components away Would it be prudent to (that not require a huge financial outlay) that the city can to be “PEV Ready.” To ensure the become “PEV Ready” even if the successful transition to plug-in electric cars, cities are requested to: 1) review their permitting and site won’t be built immediately? inspection process to align with industry standard; and 2) help spread the knowledge to residents to help them make a wise decision before and after purchasing the PEVs Contact Information: We know you may have some additional questions about EVSEs and 16 Table of Contents we’re here to help Please contact us at PEVReadiness@sce.com or call 1800-4EV-INFO VII Miscellaneous ... the Ins and Outs of Fueling Electric Vehicles Plug-in Electric Vehicles are here, and more they bring them home SCE is working with Typically, installing an electric vehicle supply are on the... some additional questions relating to SCE’s electrical rules and requirements When does SCE require that The requirements vary based on location and situation If you have a question, residential... charging station and eliminate the need for a second panel and meter configuration 14 Table of Contents VI Second Meter Installations What are we doing to inform our It’s each customer’s responsibility