West Bengal invites bids to set up 205 EV charging stations to boost e-mobility

The West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (WBSEDCL) has welcomed interest in setting up electric vehicle charging infrastructure in public-private partnership (PPP) to push electric mobility in the state. Official sources shared that the state-run organisation has invited bids from operators to build 205 charging or batter-swapping stations.

The organisation shared that the stations that would be installed by operators will be maintained by them and will also offer a share of the revenue. According to a PTI report, the official said the agency will offer the land for the set up of these charging and swapping stations. “The investment, operation and maintenance will be done by private concessionaires. The floor value of revenue share for the auction is Re 1 per unit of electricity," added the official. A bidder who will offer the highest revenue share will be awarded the contract for a specific site.

Out of these 205 electric vehicle charging stations, 40 stations will be set up along national highways and while the remaining 165 will be built elsewhere. The official added that the initial contract period for these stations will be 10 years with extension clauses. The state's power sector regulator, West Bengal Electricity Regulatory Commission (WBERC), has also set a tariff of ₹6.98 per unit for EV charging stations throughout the year.

The report shared that some charging station operators have shown interest in participating in the bidding, the company official said. West Bengal's EV policy has set a target of achieving one million electric vehicles by 2030. The state government has also envisaged an installation base of 10,000 EV charging or battery-swapping stations across the state. The West Bengal Transport Corporation (WBTC) will procure 1,180 electric buses by the end of 2023. Some charging station operators have shown interest in participating in the bidding, the company official added.