Andhra Pradesh Planning to Install 400 EV Charging Stations

The state government of Andhra Pradesh has decided to set up 400 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations across the state.

The state government of Andhra Pradesh, in an attempt to promote the adoption of electric vehicles (EV), has decided to set up 400 electric vehicle charging stations across the state.

And the TNN reports that further, the state government is also considering a proposal to study real-time performance impact of providing electric two-wheelers to ward and village secretariat staff. It also has plans to set up testing facilities for vehicles and components, and intelligence testing tracks for electric vehicles with an investment of Rs 250 crore.

In a webinar conducted on the ‘Go Electric’ campaign organised with the support of Andhra Pradesh State Energy Conservation Mission (APSECM), energy secretary Srikant Nagulapalli said that the state government is taking steps to establish charging infrastructure for every 25 kilometres on national highways.

“We want to make more charging stations available to citizens in the coming days. Installing charging stations will boost the confidence of users of electric vehicles. This will also encourage companies to launch more electric vehicles. This would also help the state in taking a lead in the emerging electric vehicles industry, increase energy security, control pollution and improve air quality,” he said.

The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) has launched the ‘Go Electric’ campaign in the state in coordination with APSECM. The Non-conventional Energy Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh Limited (NREDCAP) was nominated by the government as the state nodal agency to set up charging stations.

NREDCAP vice-chairman and managing director S Ramana Reddy said that it has entered into an MoU with EESL for the deployment of electric vehicles and has already deployed 300 EVs in various government departments. “There are also MoUs between NREDCAP and NTPC and NREDCAP and RIEL for the establishment of charging infrastructure in the state. Charging stations will be installed in 83 locations across the state under the FAME II scheme,” added Reddy.

In October, we had reported that the state government was planning to set up seven Pumped Hydro Storage Power Projects (PSP) as part of its decision to promote new renewable energy power plants in the state. The PSP mode is likely to balance fluctuations in total input power from the existing renewable energy plants depending on solar and wind power stations. PSP projects will act as large-scale energy storage stations.

More recently, it was reported that the state was mulling over replacing existing internal combustion (IC) engines in auto-rickshaws (autos) plying in the key districts of the state with electric batteries in a move aimed at lowering air pollution levels in the major cities. TOI reported that to encourage auto-rickshaw owners to switch to the new technology, the government plans to set up battery swapping stations and a number of charging stations.