Kolkata: The state will soon get 245 EV charging stations along with battery-swapping centres in and around Kolkata and the neighbouring municipal areas — a majority of them along state and national highways — across Bengal.
The West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (WBSEDCL) has invited bids from interested parties for the supply, installation, operation, and management of these EV charging stations and battery-swapping centres on a revenue-sharing model.
"Land will be given by the government at all 245 locations where the selected bidder will set up the charging stations at its own cost. They will also operate and manage the facilities and will give a percentage of the revenue to the state," an power department official said.
Among the identified locations, 160 facilities will be set up on WBSEDCL's own land, and another 42 will come on WBSETCL's plots. The West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation Ltd (WBTDCL) will provide land at 32 locations, and EV charging stations and battery-swapping centres will be set up on government-owned land at 11 places.
WBSEDCL is the nodal agency for the state to build the EV charging infrastructure across Bengal.
Currently, about 100 such stations are operating in the state, of which five are in New Town. Apart from small- and medium-sized companies, Jio-BP also operates several EV stations in and around Kolkata.
According to a projection by the state power department, Bengal will have 10 lakh EVs across all segments by 2030. Charging infrastructure will play a pivotal role in EV deployment in the state.
WBSEDCL will supply power to the EV charging stations planned at 245 new locations.
The rest of the infrastructure, including facilities for both fast and slow charging, will be built by the selected bidder at its own cost.
"The station operating company will have to buy the power at a twin tariff structure — Rs 5.5 (11 pm-5 pm) and Rs 6 (5 pm-11 pm) a unit — from the WBSEDCL. In addition, WBSEDCL will also get a share of revenue from the stations. Now, it is getting up to Rs 5 a unit as revenue share," a senior government official said.
The EV charging station operator can charge up to Rs 18 a unit for providing fast charging facilities.