The public realm is seeing the introduction of many new technologies that require electrical supplies, none more than the need to install Electric Vehicle (EV) charging points. This paper reviewed the IET Guidance document on the requirements for highway electrical street furniture with specific reference to EV points, their planning, area load capacity assessments, installation and operation but essentially and more importantly the ‘knock on’ effect on other highway electrical equipment. This included the highway lighting and what changes have to be made to the supplies to such equipment. It is perhaps this latter point that has the greatest impact on the lighting community and may see a change in how electrical connections to such systems are made in the future. This talk is helpful to local authorities, developers, planning managers, environmental, town centre managers and contractors. by Allan Howard, WSP

1. EV
Infrastructure
Electrical
Considerations
ILP Summit 2019
Allan Howard
BEng(Hons) CEng FILP FSLL

2. 2
− An Authorities role
− IET Guide
− Considerations
− Planning
− EV chargers
− Network capacity
− Risks
− Electrical requirements
− Column mounted
− Maintenance & operation
Introduction

3. 3
− Investing in a zero emission environment
− Promote sustainable transportation
− Deliver infrastructure on highway land and at
associated facilities
− Attract investment
− Government (OLEV), EU, public and private sector
− Creating a framework to facilitate EV uptake
− Taking the lead
− Highway Authority must act reasonably
− Be sensible in what is offered
Role of the local authority

4. 4
− Their confidence
− User perception of and confidence in the availability of
suitable charging points where and when they need it
− That sufficient and usable charging provision is available either at
home where perhaps they don’t have off street parking, along
their intended route and at their destinations
− Be able for fulfil the need of the user in terms of charge rate; a
trickle charge over night at home is acceptable but on journey a
rapid charging system is preferable with a standard charge point
where they may be parked for a period of a few hours
− How do I access and pay for the charging? –at present a wide
range of local and national systems operate requiring users to
have a range of cards / Apps – EV points don’t do touchless credit
cards
Promoting user uptake

5. 5
The IET guide
— Growing requirement for
electrical equipment in the
public realm
— Electric vehicle charge points
— Market trader pillars
— Event supplies
— Information points
— Bike hire points
— SMART Technologies points
— Free electronic version

6. 6
The IET guide
— Raise the awareness of the
electrical safety
considerations and
requirements
— Walk through the processes,
requirements, risks to be
considered and implemented
— Does not replace the need for
technical underpinning
knowledge and competency
— Does not duplicate existing
Standards & guidance
— Owner, operator and user
requirements

7. 7
− The stages
− Good governance – who is responsible, defined out comes, funding
− Site selection, what is needed and where
− Electrical capacity
− Planning permission, is it required?
− Feasibility
− Traffic management orders
− Detailed design
− Equipment procurement
− Installation & maintenance
Strategy

8. 8
− Managing expectations
− Project stages and time allowances
Project time line
Westminster City Council

9. 9
Considerations
— Considerations prior to
installation
— Physical installation
requirements

10. 10
− The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted
Development) (England) Order 2015.
− Part 12 of Schedule 2 provides permitted development rights for a
local authority or urban regional development corporation to erect
or construct and maintain, improve or alter electric vehicle
charging points and associated infrastructure.
− Permitted development applies to charge points installed on-
street, with no limit on the height of the charge point. However,
boroughs consider planning required for conservation areas or
near listed buildings.
− In the case of rapid charge points installed in car parks on public or
private land, permitted development rights can be used in
accordance with Class E, Schedule 2, Part 2. This permitted
development right only exists if the charge points are less than
1.6m tall.
Planning permission

11. 11
Considerations
— Considerations prior to
installation
— Physical installation
requirements
— Electrical considerations
— Network capacity

12. 12
Available EV chargers
— AC 230V / 400V
— Single & dual outlet
— Ground, wall and pole mounted
— 3.7 kW to 22kW
— DC rapid chargers (50 to
500V)
— Single and triple outlet
— 20kW to 50kW
— AC and DC
— Ultra rapid chargers (up to
920V & 350A output)
— 175kW and 350kW (water
cooled CCS plugs)
— As little as 5 min for full charge

13. 13
Capacity survey
— EV points have a considerable
electric load
— Existing electrical network
may not be able to support
such loads
— Requirement for an electrical
capacity survey / assessment
— Heat Pump and Electric
Vehicle Charging
Infrastructure Installation
http://www.energynetworks.org/electricity/futures/electric-vehicles-and-heat-pumps.html

14. 14
Meeting capacity requirements
At a glance

15. 15
Considerations
— Considerations prior to
installation
— Physical installation
requirements
— Electrical considerations
— Network capacity
— User requirements
— Risks
— Service charges
— Operation and maintenance

16. 16
Considerations
— Provision, maintenance and
operation of electrical
equipment in the public
realm for third party use
— CDM Regulations
— Where does ownership end?
— Point of supply (socket)
— Provision of connecting cables
— Testing, maintenance and
operation
— Enforcing rules / operational
procedures on users

17. 17
Risks
— Operator misuse
— Electricity
— Electric shock
— Burns
— DDA considerations
— Trailing leads – trips and falls
— Trip hazard
— Ownership
— Correct and incorrect use
— Testing and inspection

18. 18
Electrical requirements
— Determination of the earthing
requirements
— Energy Networks Association
Engineering Recommendation
G12 A PME termination
should not be offered
— TT system with an RCD (BS
7671)
— Excepting lighting columns &
signs all electrical equipment
should have a TT connection
— Requires adequate client
earthing arrangements

19. 19
Electrical requirements
— Earth electrode
— Sequence of earth mats or rods
below 600mm
— Resistance < 200Ω
— Unstable so ideally <100 Ω
— Consideration for future utilities
operations
— Supported by a time delay or ‘S’
type RCD not exceeding 300mA
— Column roots are not suitable
— Looped cable networks ≥ 3
items require an earth
electrode at the supply point
and end of circuit Note: Shallow due to services

20. 20
Future considerations
— >500 reported DNO loses of
neutral last year
— Earth Standards considering
the need for local /
foundation earthing
— Effectively TT requirements
— Surge protection under the
18th Edition Regulations
— Incoming cables
— Equipment
Change under the 18th Edition Regulations

21. 21
Adjacent connections
— Adjacent equipment
— Consideration for any electrical
equipment within 2.5m of the
proposed equipment
— Such equipment should be on
the same electrical phase and
from the same distribution
point
— All equipment should be on the
same type of supply i.e. TT
— Columns with combined charge
points or similar should be on
TT supplies
Change under the 18th Edition Regulations
was 2.0m

22. 22
TT zone
R2.5m
R2.5m
2.5m
2.5m
2.5m
Change under the 18th Edition Regulations
was 2.0m

23. 23
Charge points incorporated into existing equipment
— Greater demand for charge
points to be installed
— Especially where vehicles are
parked overnight in
residential areas
— Not practical or safe for the
owner to run a link cable from
their house
— Residents are making
requests for on street
charging stations
— Where electrical street
furniture is located towards
the front of any footway it
makes sense to consider how
a change point may be
located within it

24. 24
Charge points incorporated into existing equipment
— The general approach for
standalone charge points is
for a TT supply
— Customer (authority)
providing their own earthing
system
— Earth consideration <100Ω
(column root should not be
used)
— Load requirement can be
addressed by only providing a
trickle charging facility but
the earth resistance limitation
does require careful
consideration
— Energy in these instances is
measured through a meter
incorporated into the link lead
charging cable

25. 25
— The location of the holes needs to be controlled, for example:
— Multiple holes should not be provided within the same horizontal section and
should instead be spaced vertically up and down from the designated height.
— The holes should be spaced one or two diameters apart vertically (again I can
confirm) to ensure there is no interaction of the stress paths around the holes.
— The holes shouldn’t be within 1.5m of the shoulder of the shaft.
— Particular care needs to be taken for holes in the base where they are at the
same level as an unreinforced door opening as sections subject to torsion will
be affected by the additional hole which should be placed to the rear face
opposite the door.
— The height of the holes relative to the equipment should be positioned to
ensure suitable drip loops are provided in the equipment cables to minimise
water ingress problems through the glands.
Considerations when drilling into a column

26. 26
Operation and maintenance
— Authorised user agreements
— User made aware if their
responsibilities
— License agreements /
conditions
— Access to supply point
— Trailing cables
— Wet weather conditions
— Earthing considerations
— Electrical load of equipment
connected to supply
— Testing & inspection
requirements
— Owner monitoring
— Fault reporting / misuse
action
— After use requirements

27. Thank you!
wsp.com
allan.howard@wsp.com
@illuminator_42