Ask the Experts: Behind the scenes of connecting EV chargers to the grid

Joe, could you explain to us what a DNO is?

A DNO, or Distribution Network Operator, is a company that has been licensed by Ofgem to distribute electricity in the UK. They will own, operate and maintain the cabling, transformers and switch-gear in a local area and help deliver power to homes and businesses. If new connections are installed, the DNO will ‘adopt’ them into their own network. If you are planning to install several EV chargers, you’re going to need to power them, therefore you will need to work with a DNO to get a connection to the wider National Grid.

Why are most new connections handled by IDNOs?

In 2000, Ofgem changed the regulations to allow for IDNOs to enter the market and offer alternatives to traditional DNOs. This was aimed at increasing market competition, speeding up connection times and improving service, to benefit customers.

A DNO does not have to compete for business. They will simply offer a quote to a developer, and if the quote is accepted the developer’s project will enter the queue of works.

On the other hand, IDNOs compete for your business, and there is a much greater emphasis on providing an excellent service and competitive pricing. This has led to many IDNOs allowing for a faster connection time on average, alongside all the above financial benefits.

What does the partnership between Charge Point Operators (CPOs) and IDNOs look like?

In the case of ESP, we have worked in the EV space for many years and fostered close partnerships with CPOs such as Mer. We will often work closely together for the planning and installation of EV chargers at a location, we normally take the following steps:

• The first step into a project requiring a new connection is to make a Point of Connection application to the DNO. This will tell you whether the power is available, whether any reinforcement work is required and what the DNO costs will be.
• The application can take 7 weeks to be returned by the DNO, but once received we’ll get to work on producing a Point of Connection (POC) viability study. This report will identify how easily we can get the new electrical infrastructure to site, so the EV chargers can be installed, any challenges we might face, as well as giving an accurate picture of what the total costs might be. This helps the CPO forecast their budgets accordingly.
• Once all the information has been presented, the CPO will make the decision to give the go ahead. Once everything has been agreed, we will then work with the CPO and a 3rd party NERS accredited designer to provide an electrical design, suggesting the types of cables used, where trenches will be excavated and the general layout.
• At the same time, we start the legal process. This most often takes the form of land rights negotiations but can involve other details as well. We like to start the legals as early as possible as this is probably the longest part of the process due to potential complexities.
• While other trusted third parties work on the actual physical connections, we oversee the entire process in close collaboration with the CPO.

Once the network has been built and the site energised, we then adopt the connection and take full responsibility for its maintenance. This close tie with the CPO benefits the end customer as it means that if any issues arise, both of our support teams can collaborate to identify and resolve issues.

You mentioned before that the legals can be one of the longest parts of the process, could you explain a bit more?

One of the most common challenges is land rights and the legal side of things. There can be a lot of back and forth between our in-house legal team and various stakeholders. For instance, you might have to dig cables across land held by three different owners, meaning that you need to negotiate access and ensure disruption is mitigated with three different legal teams.

ESP handles this by ensuring constant communication between legal teams, with weekly meetings and updates to maintain momentum. Anyone who has ever been in a long chain while buying a property will know this is the longest part of the process, which is why we like to start at the earliest possible point.

A further benefit of being an IDNO is that we can be more flexible in what terms and conditions we can accept. This helps to ensure that all involved parties reach the most amenable agreement possible.

In one case of an EV charger installation, we needed to make sure that maintenance engineers could get access to a substation that sat right next to the fence of someone’s front garden. We weren’t having any luck getting in touch with the homeowner, so we decided the personal touch was best and after some confusion and explaining the situation in person, they were more than happy to help.

What other challenges commonly arise when connecting EV chargers to the Grid?

A difficulty that we are encountering more frequently in the past two years is the increasing time it takes for reinforcement of grid connections, (with DNO waiting lists being up to seven years!). This is compounded by the fact that the nearest viable connection could be five miles away, which would be very expensive.

It is through our partnership with Mer that several workarounds can be implemented to avoid this problem. Mer might recommend utilising smart charging to help mitigate power demand, or the customer integrate with a renewable energy source.

Other challenges are more on the physical side. When we embark on our POC viability study we try and identify as many physical barriers as possible to the connection. This can be anything from tree roots to flood risk to 3rd party land rights. This is where our designers must get creative – sometimes the straightest path is not the easiest!

This is why we take such care with our electrical designs; each is optimised to save the client time and money. Whether it is by running the cable on public land as much as possible to save on legal time, therefore lessening the number of different parties that we need to negotiate with, or identifying potential flood risk to avoid costly repairs in the future, we must consider every possible angle.

Are there any differences to your approach when working on a depot site over a public EV charging site?

While there are many similarities between connecting public charging infrastructure and private depot-based chargers, the key difference is customer interaction. Public charging infrastructure, such as a charging hub located at a retail park, will require far more engagement with multiple parties.

For instance, you will not just be coordinating with the landowner, but also the management company, tenants and the public. When it is aa public facing project, there is generally more interest around where the site is located and how the finished product will look, so we tend to find public charging operators tend to take longer to agree site layouts.

Meanwhile, when connecting and managing a depot connection, the bigger question is accessibility. To meet our rigorous maintenance standards, we need 24/7 access to all our assets. We work closely with the relevant parties to ensure that there are systems in place so we can always gain entry when required. DNOs and IDNOs often require a designated parking space on-site to guarantee that their maintenance team can carry out any required works.

The other key difference is the question of how much power is already available on-site. Depots generally already have existing grid connections, so the first option customers look at is how much power is already on site and whether that would be sufficient for their EV requirements. Mer Fleet complete this initial assessment and if there is capacity will support the customer in facilitating their EV install.

If the assessment determines that a new connection is required, ESP will then work closely with Mer Fleet to provide this for the customer. Ultra rapid public charging infrastructure – due to high power requirements and huge variations in locations– will nearly always need a new connection to provide the power.

How does ESP maintain the site’s connection to the grid?

Once the site is energised, it is ESP’s responsibility to operate and maintain the connection. We always offer what is known as a Guaranteed Standard of Performance (GSOP), which clearly states the expected level of service that the IDNO provides. This can range from service delivery standards, clear communication with stakeholders, and liaising with the DNO to restoration of supply timelines. If these standards are not met, then the customer will receive compensation for the disruption. Ofgem regulates the GSOP, particularly response times. We have a 24/7 response team with national coverage and pride ourselves on resolving any issues as quickly as possible.

Connection maintenance should never be just reactive, which is why having easy access to the site is so important. We regularly audit every site that we operate, so we can catch any issues before they escalate into a service disruption.

Due to these factors, the largest department at ESP consists of our operations personnel. They work constantly behind the scenes to provide a safe and reliable network for our customers, which in turn forms the core of our business.

Could you share an example of a challenge you have faced when connecting an EV charging hub?

During the construction phase of an EV charging hub, we found an unexpected storm drain underneath where the substation was going to be located. This meant that the cables could not be placed deep enough in the ground for them to be safe from accidental damage. The storm drain was not present on any of the ground plans, as often private land is not well documented.

The ground underneath the UK is steeped in history and contains all sorts of surprises – while I worked at Network Rail, we once accidentally uncovered Roman ruins!

At first, this storm drain presented a major disruption to the works being carried out, and there were fears that the plans would need serious reworking. To tackle this issue, we convened with Mer and other leading stakeholders for what we jokingly refer to as our own COBRA committee. After discussion, a workaround was realised. Often the simplest solution is the best. In this instance, while the cables could not be buried as deep as normal, they could be protected from damage. Therefore, it was proposed that steel plates could be placed on top of the cables. This meant that the original plans could still be followed, but the safety of these cables would be maintained from someone accidentally digging through them.

By thinking around the solution, but still following the correct procedures, we helped deliver the plan in the safest and most cost-effective manner.

What motivated ESP to work with an EV charge point operator such as Mer?

A core part of our ethos surrounds sustainability. ESP has worked on numerous sustainability-focused projects including sustainable drainage solutions, renewable energy sources and EV charging infrastructure.

As our CEO, Kevin O’Connor says: “Sustainability in utilities means delivering reliable service today, while ensuring the resources that power tomorrow remain strong.”

We’re proud to be helping a company such as Mer deliver electric mobility to businesses, public sector organisations and local communities. We’ve been working with Mer for the past four years, with our teams complementing each other well. Both ESP and Mer share a heavy emphasis on communication and a collaborative approach. We look forward to continuing to work with Mer into the future and are excited to be a part of the UK’s transition to net-zero transportation.

We look forward to continuing to work with Mer into the future and are excited to be a part of the UK’s transition to net-zero transportation.