Armenia to simplify charging of electric vehicles from home network without unnecessary contracts

YEREVAN, September 2. /ARКА/. The Parliamentary Committee on Economic Issues has sanctioned a bill proposing amendments to the Armenian Law on Energy, aimed at regulating the legal framework concerning the charging of electric vehicles.

"Due to the pertinent state policy, the quantity of electric vehicles in Armenia has risen considerably in recent years, necessitating simplification and legal clarity in the charging domain," stated MP Tsovinar Vardanyan from the ruling Civil Contract party.

She indicated that this activity does not require licensing or regulation within the energy sector, allowing any individual to offer the service in accordance with existing legislation.

"Nevertheless, the absence of explicit norms in the law poses challenges, particularly for residents of apartment complexes. Specifically, to install a charger in a parking area, citizens must enter into a separate agreement with the energy distribution company and register as individual subscribers, even though the electrical capacity of the apartment is frequently adequate for charging a vehicle," Vardanyan remarked.

"The procedure demands effort and time, and often there is no necessity for this, as the capacity of the apartment's power supply systems already connected to the grid is typically sufficient to power the apartment itself and charge an electric vehicle," Vardanyan elaborated.

The amendments will allow consumers to utilize the electricity provided to both the apartment and the parking area.

Furthermore, the deputy highlighted that independent energy producers will be able to participate in the competitive market on equal footing with other stakeholders, which, according to the bill's proponents, will foster competition and market growth.