Analysis of Fees for Connecting the Infrastructure of Generally Accessible Charging Stations to Networks with Rated Voltage not Higher than 1 KV

Act on electromobility and alternative fuels (Journal of Laws of 2018, item 317), introduced last year, aims to determine the rules of the development of infrastructure used for replacing fuels currently used in car transport, such as diesel and petrol, with electricity and alternative fuels. According to the provisions of this Act, hydrogen, compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) are considered to be alternative fuels. The Act sets out also the rules for building a national network of charging stations for these car factors. Under the new regulations, public buildings and multi-family residential buildings, as well as related internal and external parking spaces, shall be designed and done in the way that provides connection power, enabling them to be equipped with charging points with a power of not less than 3.7 kW. At the same time the Act obligates the local governments and state institutions to replace the stock that they possess with the stock which uses the alternative fuels. In accordance with the Act the “public charging station” shall be understood as the charging station equally available for every user of electric, hybrid or motor vehicle not being an electric vehicle within the meaning of the Act of 20 June 1997 Traffic Law, whereas the “charging infrastructure for public road transport” is defined as “charging or refueling points for electricity (or alternative fuels) together with the accompanying infrastructure necessary for their operation, intended for charging or refueling, in particular zero-emission buses used in public transport’’ [2, 3, 4, 5, 8]. The Energy Regulatory Office approved the applications of distribution system operators regarding the connection of electric car charging stations to their network. This office informs also that the amended tariffs include rates for connecting the road charging infrastructure of public transport and public charging stations [6].

In accordance with Electricity Law (Journal of Laws of 1997, item 348) for connecting the road charging infrastructure and publicly available charging stations to the network:

In our country the five biggest Distribution System Operators represented by Distribution Comapnies in the field of electricity distribution are operating. These are: Energa Operator joint-stock company, Enea Operator limited liability partnership, PGE Dystrybution joint-stock company, Tauron Dystrybution joint-stock company and innogy Stoen Operator limited liability partnership. The basic duty of Distribution Companies is to allow connecting new entities as well as planning the development of distribution network, providing its expansion and maintenance of the proper level of safety at work. The Operators of the distribution system in the matters of the distribution systems are held responsible for:

Figure 1.

Connection capacity according to the analyzed tariffs for electricity distribution services is defined as an active power planned to be downloaded or introduced into the network, specified in the connection agreement (network connection agreement) as the maximum value determined during each hour of the billing period from the average values of this power in 15-minute periods used to design the connection.

Entities applying for connection to the network are divided into groups, so-called “Connection groups”, according to the criteria indicated in the Regulation of the Minister of Economy from May 4^th, 2007 concerning the detailed conditions for the operation of the power system (Journal of Laws 2007.93.623). In accordance with the Regulation indicated above, the following division applies:

The connection fee is the quotient of the connection fee rate and the amount of connection capacity that has been granted to the connected entity as a result of a successful examined application for connection to the network and conclusion of the connection agreement (connection agreement). The value of the connection fee is specified in the connection agreement. Entity which is being connected pays the connection fee to the Distribution Company, which is the party of the connection agreement.

The Distribution System Operator (represented by a distribution company) covers the costs of the metering and billing system (meter).

Conclusion of a connection agreement for a power value of 25 kW generates a connection fee for the entity accounted at PGE Dystrybtion S.A. in the amount of:

A. General formula for calculating the connection fee:

P (value of ordered connection capacity) x OS (connection fee from the distribution system operator’s tariff)

B. Case study:

Connection fees, which are detailed below (in point IV), apply to both new (original) connections to the network and cases of increasing the connection capacity as part of already existing connections. In practice, the realisation of the above is as follows:

A. Case study:

The Distribution Companies specify in the tariffs for electricity distribution services approved by the President of the Energy Regulatory Office the rates of fees for connecting to the consumers network classified in connection groups: IV, V and VI and for connecting to the road charging infrastructure network of public transport.

Enea Operator limited liability partnership

There is a charge for connecting the charging station, which is the product of the charge rate for connection included in the table as above and the amount of connection power specified in the connection agreement with the following reservation:

6.18 PLN in the case of an outdoor connection. Table 2.

Connection fees for networks with a rated voltage of less than 1 kV from entities other than charging stations that have been classified as connection groups: IV, V, VI

For connecting entities included in connection groups IV–VI, a fee is charged which is the product of the connection fee rate included in the table as above and the amount of connection capacity specified in the connection agreement with the following reservation:

when the connection length of the connection infrastructure being built for entities included in the connection groups indicated in the table as above exceeds 200 meters, additional fees are charged in the amount of:

Energa Operator joint-stock company

There is a charge for connecting the charging station, which is the product of the charge rate for connection included in the table as above and the amount of connection power specified in the connection agreement with the following reservation:

Tauron Dystrybution joint-stock company

There is a charge for connecting the charging station, which is the product of the charge rate for connection included in the table as above and the amount of connection power specified in the connection agreement with the following reservation:

6.18 PLN in the case of an overhead connection. Table 6.

Fees for connecting to the road charging infrastructure network of public transport and generally available charging stations to the network with a rated voltage not higher than 1 kV

A fee is charged for connecting a charging station, which is the product of the rate of connection fee included in the table as above and the amount of connection power specified in the connection agreement with the following reservation:

innogy Stoen Operator limited liability partnership

A fee is charged for connecting a charging station, which is the product of the rate of connection fee included in the table as above and the amount of connection power specified in the connection agreement with the following reservation:

PGE Dystrybution joint-stock company

A fee is charged for connecting a charging station, which is the product of the rate of connection fee included in the table as above and the amount of connection power specified in the connection agreement with the following reservation:

Based on the presented analyzes, the following conclusions were drawn:

The Act on electromobility and alternative fuels (Journal of Laws of 2018, item 317) creates conditions for the popularization of electric transport in Poland. However, special attention should be paid to the fact that the Act prefers only connecting generally available charging stations directly to the distribution network of a Distribution System Operator. This means that an example of additional connection of the charging station to the existing traditional refuelling station in post-payment mode (i.e. by existing power installations) it is not treated by the legislator in a preferential manner, i.e. connection in this way is more expensive by an average of 75 percent.