Plug and Play

Essential Energy is accelerating the rollout of electric vehicle (EV) charging across regional, rural and remote NSW with our Plug and Play kerbside charging program.

The initiative will enable charge point operators (CPOs) to connect 1,000 new public EV chargers to existing power poles and install 300 composite streetlight chargers. This will almost double the number of chargers currently available across our footprint.

By using existing network assets, Plug and Play reduces complexity and cost for operators, helping fast-track EV charging in communities that have lagged behind urban areas.

General Manager Commercial Development, Andrew Hillsdon, says the program is about creating a scalable model for future installations. “We’re taking the complexity and some of the costs out of installing EV chargers so operators can simply come into our communities and plug in,” Andrew said.

Partially funded by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), the program will offer two solutions. Stream 1 will pre-enable 1,000 existing power poles to be connection ready for pole mounted EV Chargers. Stream 2 The Deployment of 300 innovative composite (fibreglass) streetlight columns with integrated 7kw EV chargers.