The UK’s electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure is reportedly encountering setbacks due to power supply limitations, delaying the activation of charging stations across the country.
Ken McMeikan, Chief Executive of Moto, operator of the Pease Pottage site near Gatwick, told The Sunday Times that the expected power switch-on at the start of the month has been postponed until 9th September, resulting in the entire summer holiday period being missed.
Pease Pottage is not an isolated case, as other locations also face similar challenges.
At the Medway services in Kent, where 24 GRIDSERVE and 24 Tesla chargers were slated for activation in May, power supply issues have pushed the switch-on date to December.
These delays are sparking concerns about the capability of the UK grid to accommodate the growing number of EV chargers.
In a statement, UK Power Networks said: “UK Power Networks plays a leading role in helping to enable a net zero future and is currently delivering upgrades for customers as part of the Green Recovery initiative.
“This is a £66 million programme fast-tracking charging capacity at EV charging hubs at motorway service stations, fleets of electric buses, community energy schemes and heat pumps.
“Of the two schemes in this article that relate to UK Power Networks, we have already completed a significant amount of work, delivering 3,400 metres of the 4,000 metres of cabling required in Medway to support energisation and similarly 3,300 metres of 3,800 metres of cabling in Pease Pottage.
“In order to complete the works a number of consents are required and we are working with the relevant statutory authorities and other parties to ensure the works are completed as soon as possible and certainly before the end of the year.”
A spokesperson for Energy Networks Association, which represents the UK’s energy network operators, told ELN: “We’re helping connect hundreds of thousands of EV charging points to the networks, in support of the government’s target of 300,000 public charging points by 2030.
“Smart charging points also have huge benefits to the grid, helping maximise network capacity. We are also working with the regulator, across the industry and with government to speed up the connections process.”
