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Frequently Asked Questions about the Connecticut Electric Vehicle Charging Program

Who is eligible to participate in this program?

Residential Eversource electric customers living in a single-family or small multifamily home (fewer than four units) with a qualifying electric vehicle or charger may enroll in the Managed Charging Program.

What are the benefits of this program?

By participating you can earn upfront rebates, enrollment incentives, and ongoing participation incentives to help offset the cost of EV charging, including the cost of outfitting your home with a Smart Charger. There are also ongoing incentives available for Managed Charging participation over time. Participation in Managed Charging may help reduce your carbon footprint and can make more efficient use of the electrical grid. 

What are my responsibilities for participation in this program?

To receive incentives within this program, customers must participate in Managed Charging, which provides rewards for helping lower demand on the electric grid. Depending on which level of participation to which you apply, your participation will require different actions from you.

  • Baseline Tier of Participation - You control your energy usage by scheduling your charging during off-peak hours at least 80% of the time. Off-Peak hours are non-holiday weekdays anytime outside of 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. This simple action can earn you incentives of up to $120 per year when you’re enrolled in the Baseline Tier of Managed Charging.
  • Advanced Tier of Participation - This tier steps up the responsibilities of the participant, but, in turn, rewards the participant significantly more. Participants in the Advanced Tier can earn up to $300. In this tier, the participant is required to maintain a daily charging schedule by coordinating with us. The participant, using a web portal and/or mobile app, must input the level of charging they need the next day and at what time they need it. We do the rest: coordinating charging of all participants at once and ensuring that each participant has the amount of charging they need, when they need it. This does require participants in the Advanced Tier to keep a closer eye on their charging, but this extra effort is rewarded.

Are there incentives available for participation in Managed Charging?

Yes. Eversource offers monthly incentives to customers for their Managed Charging participation. Specific rewards vary depending on which participation level to which you apply. The Baseline Tier enables participants to earn up to $120 per year, while the Advanced Tier enables participants to earn up to $300 per year. The higher incentive levels in the Advanced Tier correspond with higher levels of responsibility.

For more details, visit the Managed Charging page. 

If I already have a home charger, can I still receive incentives through this program?

Yes, if you’ve already taken the step to install a charger at your home you can still be eligible for $100 to enroll that device in the program and also be eligible for ongoing participation incentives, as long as you’re able to fully participate in the responsibilities of your chosen participation tier.

Why are utilities like Eversource administering this program?

Managed Charging programs encourage users to charge during off-peak hours, which helps lower demand on the grid. By encouraging off-peak charging, utilities can more efficiently integrate flexible EV load on to their existing systems, to the financial benefit of all customers. It may also help the utilities avoid using more carbon-intensive electricity, which may reduce our region’s carbon footprint. These programs may also enable utilities to integrate more renewable energy and utilize the flexibility of EV charging to provide additional services to their territory.

Will participating in Managed Charging force me to change my charging habits?

The short answer is “yes” – Eversource provides incentives to encourage this change when you charge your vehicle and may make charging easier and more efficient for you. The program is intended to assist drivers in meeting their needs for charging while helping coordinate EV charging such that our system is not impacted by the growing number of EVs in our service territory. You will always retain control of your charging while participating in the program and you will be able to set your preferences to match your needs.

There are tools that help with scheduling your charging in such a way that your charging is beneficial to you and to the utility. There are two tiers of participation which correspond to different level of responsibilities and incentives for shifting your charging. If you typically charge during times of peak demand, you will need to change your habits, however the utilities have made this as effortless and as rewarding as possible.

What are the incentives and rebates available through this program?

Below is a table outlining the maximum incentives available for different scenarios of participation in this program. The Managed Charging incentive amounts are based on participation in a full program year.

Please note the amount of incentive dollars available per solution does not imply one setup is inherently better than another. Depending on the particulars of your EV and technology setup, the cheapest and best option might receive the fewest incentive dollars. Please see the Program Participant Guide to understand which of the possible eligible technologies is best for you.

ct-ev-costs-table

What charging technologies qualify?

There are many technologies that can participate in this program and this list is always expanding as EV manufacturers expand their capabilities and more Smart Chargers enter the market. Customers must have either a qualified Smart Charger or a qualifying vehicle with the required telematics capabilities available to participate in the Program. A Qualified Products List may be found on our website. Please refer to Section 6 of the Program Participant Guide for information on eligibility and information on the types of devices and vehicles that can participate.

What does it typically cost to install a Level 2 EV charging station at my home?

Costs to install a Level 2 charging station vary depending on which charger you choose and how much electrical work must be done to put the station where you need it. Typically, a Networked Level 2 charger will cost $400-700.

Installation costs vary greatly depending on your situation. We have experienced an average cost of $1,400 per installation, though there is a wide cost range extending in both directions.

Are there additional incentives available if I have more than one EV in my household?

Yes, if you have more than one EV, you can apply for a second set of incentives for a smart charger and participation in Managed Charging, however this is the limit for incentives per residential electric account.

If I already applied and received EV charging incentives, can I apply for incentives again?

Yes, but only if you are applying for a second participating EV in the house. If you have a second residence that is on a separate electric meter, you cannot apply for additional incentives unless you have a second EV enrolling in the program.

What is managed charging?

Managed charging programs provide incentives to customers who adjust or permit their utility to adjust the timing of their EV charging. Managed charging helps minimize energy use during times of peak demand (the on-peak period), or stress, on the electric grid. In doing so, it helps lower demand, or stress, on the electrical grid.

Charging during the off-peak period charging allows participants to manage their own charging schedule and be incentivized for charging at times that are beneficial for their utility. The goal of off-peak charging is to have a high portion of charging take place during off-peak times when there is less demand on the electric grid. Off-peak charging times include any time outside of 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on non-holiday weekdays.

Is there a limit to how many incentives will be provided?

Yes, the utilities have been approved for a certain level of funding for incentives. At this time, the funds have not reached their limit and you are encouraged to apply.

Still have questions?

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Contact the EV team

You can also consult the Program Participant Guide for more information.