Are you considering an EV?
AEL&P has an electric vehicle rate that allows customers to charge their EV during off-peak hours (from 10pm to 5am) at a reduced rate. We even have charging equipment available for rent. Whether you are just looking or already own an electric vehicle, check out the options below to see what works best for you, or contact our EV expert at 907.759.5903.
How can I participate in the Off-peak EV Rate?
To participate, you need to use a level 2 charger that is on a separately metered circuit. There are two ways to do this. You can rent a charger and metering unit from us or you can install your own charger and meter base and then have us install the meter.
Option #1 Rent a charger from AEL&P
You install only the 240V circuit and receptacle necessary for a Level II charger and rent a charging station from AELP that is pre-wired to a meter base and will plug into the receptacle you provide. These units can be installed in your garage or in an outside location. With this option, you avoid having to pay for the charging station up-front, and if an average driver does around 70% of their at-home charging during off-peak hours, the savings will equal the cost to rent the charger. Any additional miles shifted into evening hours provide additional savings.
Aluminum back panel is 24" tall by 22" wide. The unit is 10" deep at the meter
Option #2 Install your own charger and meter base
You install a 240V circuit and your own Level II charging station with a meter base. The meter base must be located in an exterior, accessible location. With this option, once you receive a signed inspection for the work, AEL&P will install a meter into the meter base and measure the energy delivered by the charging station during off-peak hours.
Are there installation details that I can provide to my electrician?
Yes. Our service standards for installation of EV charging are linked here:
Am I eligible to participate in the EV rate program?
Residential and small commercial customers who are not billed on a demand rate are eligible to participate. Not sure if you are billed on demand? Check your billing statement or give us a call. Most residential customers are not billed on demand and are eligible to participate. If you are already billed on demand, don't worry! You can achieve the same savings by charging during hours when you aren't using a lot of electricity for other things, which is typically overnight.
I use a trickle (Level 1) charger. Can I sign up for the EV off-peak rate?
The off-peak rate is only available for customers who use a Level II charger. If you do not need a Level II charger because you can get by with a trickle charger (the kind that plugs into a standard 120V wall outlet), then it probably is not in your financial interest to rent or purchase one just to participate in the program.
Why does it matter if I charge my EV at night?
The level of electricity use in the community changes throughout the day. The highest use is generally in the morning and early evening when many people are cooking, showering, and running appliances. By shifting EV charging to the overnight hours when other electricity use is low, this helps to spread out the load and reduce strain on our generators and transmission systems. So when you charge at night you can feel good that you are doing your part to reduce the strain on our system and keep everyone's costs low.
Still have questions?
Check out the resources in the links on the left side of the page or give us a call at 907.759.5903