Tag: DPL

Delmarva Power and Light: Charger Audit Results

• L2: 64%
• DCFC: 69%
• Goal: 97% Uptime

The chart above documents the findings of a virtual “charger audit” conducted on September 29, 2024. This audit involved checking the status of each charging port in Delmarva’s EVsmart network using the ChargeHub app, with any ports reported as “offline” cross-verified against the Shell Recharge app. The goal is to compile a series of data points to independently assess charger reliability against Maryland’s 97% uptime target.

65% Availability on September 29, 2024

At the time of the audit, only 65 percent of the charging ports were available or in use. The chart shows a persistent gap between reported availability and the 97% uptime goal over the past three weeks. According to uptime standards, a charger falls short if it is offline for more than 11 days per year, and many of these ports have already exceeded this threshold.

The reliability of these public charging stations is critical to Maryland’s electric vehicle adoption goals. Without dependable access to chargers, drivers may hesitate to switch to electric vehicles, worried about the risk of being stranded—especially in areas with fewer charging stations.

12 Sites Completely Offline

Perhaps the most troubling finding is that 12 Delmarva charging sites were completely offline, with none of their chargers functioning. This is particularly inconvenient for drivers in rural or less densely populated areas like Maryland’s Eastern Shore, where charging options are already limited.

Goal of 97% Uptime

The Maryland Public Service Commission approved a limited EV pilot program in January 2019. Since then Delmarva Power and Light has built public EV charging stations at 42 locations across their service territory. The expectation, much like with their residential and commercial electricity services, was that Delmarva’s electric vehicle charging stations would uphold high standards of reliability. The goal is to maintain at least 97 percent uptime for each charging port (plug) in the pilot program utilities’ public charging networks. This means that each plug must be available and operational 97 percent of the time on an annual basis.

Percentage of Ports Up on 09-22-2024

• L2: 66% (74 of 112)
• DCFC: 69% (9 of 13)

66% Overall Up on 09-22-2024

This post is to document the results of a virtual “charger audit” conducted on September 22, 2024. This audit involved reviewing the online status of each of the 125 charging station ports in Delmarva’s EVsmart network using the ChargeHub and Shell Recharge apps. At the time of the query, 66 percent of all ports were reporting to be online, in use or available for use. 66% is far short of the 97% average annual uptime required to meet EV charger reliability goals.

This level of unreliability presents a significant hurdle to Maryland’s electric vehicle adoption goals, as it undermines public confidence in the charging infrastructure critical for widespread EV adoption.

Distressingly, 11 Delmarva charging sites are completely offline, with none of the chargers working at those locations. If you’re planning a trip to the eastern shore of Maryland, be sure to check ahead before relying on these stations.