Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) on Tuesday said it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) for installation of 1,000 public charging stations for electric vehicles.
Under the partnership, EESL will set up public charging stations in 1000 BSNL sites in a phased manner on a pan-India basis. EESL will make the entire upfront investment on the services pertaining to the MoU, along with the operation and maintenance of the charging infrastructure by using qualified personnel. BSNL would be responsible for providing the requisite space and power connections for installing the charging infrastructure, an official statement said.
“Building a strong supporting EV infrastructure is key to cultivating consumer confidence in electric vehicles and would significantly enhance consumer convenience and reduce the range anxiety as well. We are glad to partner with BSNL for synergistic action on setting up public charging infrastructure and services across India,” EESL managing director Saurabh Kumar said.
EESL has commissioned 300 AC and 170 DC chargers across India. Till date, 66 public charging points are currently operational in Delhi-NCR. EESL has signed MoUs with Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, Noida Authority, Chennai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd, Jaipur Metro Rail Corporation, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation and Commissioner, Director of Municipal Administration, New Town Kolkata Development Authority and Kalinga University Raipur (Chhattisgarh) for development of public charging stations in their respective areas.
With its model of demand aggregation and bulk procurement, EESL receives electric vehicles and chargers at a significantly discounted rate vis-à-vis the actual market value. Further, with access to low-cost funds, it is able to discover competitive project costs, the statement said.
