Electric vehicle (EV) charger installations in residential and small business sites
Charging electric cars will be one of the largest electricity loads in homes and will likely represent the majority of EV charging in South Australia. To help us manage the transition, we have an online application process for installing all large home EV chargers. This will make it easier for applicants, and enable efficient planning and operation of the distribution network, reducing costs for all customers and helping ensure reliability.
What are the rules for installing EV chargers in sites <100A?
Level 1 EV chargers under 20A
Under the clause 6.2.7 of our Service and Installation Rules, you can use EV chargers that charge by plugging into a regular 10/15A power point, without having to obtain approval from SA Power Networks.
Level 2 EV chargers 20A - 32A
Large EV chargers that are rated above 20A single phase (1PH) or 25A per phase 3-phase (3PH) require approval from SA Power Networks through SmartApply.
Smart Chargers
Smart charging for EVs makes it easier to save money and coordinate with other household energy devices, like solar and batteries, by configuring them to automatically manage time and rate of charging to align with high periods of renewable energy generation or low Time of Use tariffs. By installing a smart charger, customers can optimise their charging and opt into future flexible charging plans for which they can be rewarded.
Bidirectional / V2G EV chargers
SA Power Networks is the first electricity distributor in Australia to allow network connection of vehicle-to-grid (V2G) EV chargers. These systems can supply power back to the grid using energy from the EV battery.
Installation of V2G chargers must comply with SA Power Network’ Embedded Generation (EG) requirements. Take note that the total battery capacity of a site (including the V2G charger and any home batteries) must remain below 30kVA per site and 10kVA per phase to remain within our Small Embedded Generation process. Refer to our Technical Standard on Small EG Connections (TS129) for further information.
What is the application process for EV Chargers between 20A and 32A?
An application to install the charger must be lodged in SmartApply before installation takes place. SmartApply will auto-approve the application, provided you have met all technical and compliance requirements. Follow our SmartApply guide for How to Create an EV Charger Application for detailed instructions.
All applications approved through SmartApply must then be closed out using SmartInstall after installation.
If you can’t find the charger in SmartApply, our New Energy Services team can assist you to add it on our list. Please email newenergyservices@sapowernetworks.com.au with a copy of the EV charger datasheet.
How do I access SmartApply and SmartInstall?
You can access SmartApply and SmartInstall from our website.
If you are an installer and haven’t used SmartApply or SmartInstall before, follow our user guide - Register for SmartApply or SmartInstall.
EV charging technical standards and sample documentation
- SA Power Networks Service and Installation Rules
- TS129 - Small EG Connections Technical Requirements - Capacity not exceeding 30kVA
- TS100 - Electrical Design Standard for Underground Distribution Networks (up to and including 33kV)
Any questions?
Get in touch with New Energy Services on:
- 13 12 61 (during office hours Monday – Friday from 9am to 5pm)
- or newenergyservices@sapowernetworks.com.au