Essential Energy's Plug and Play Program Targets Regional EV Charging Gap with 1,300 kerbside chargers
Key Points
- Essential Energy is installing up to 1,300 kerbside EV chargers across regional NSW to lower the cost and complexity of public charging.
- The program has two streams: enabling 1,000 existing power poles for charge point operators, and deploying 300 new composite streetlight columns with built-in 7kW chargers.
- The project is partially funded by ARENA with $2.33m, as part of the Driving the Nation Program, with a total project cost of $6.01m.
Essential Energy is working to bring public EV charging to regional, rural and remote NSW. Its Plug and Play program uses existing electricity infrastructure to lower the cost and complexity of setting up public chargers in smaller communities.
Private investment has delivered charging in cities, but the economics are harder in regional areas. Low usage, long distances and high setup costs have left many towns without public chargers.
How the Program Works
The program has two streams.
Stream 1: Pole Enablement
Essential Energy will prepare 1,000 existing wooden power poles so charge point operators (CPOs) can connect their own charging hardware. Essential Energy handles the site assessment and council liaison. CPOs lease the sites and install their own equipment. This stream does not require a regulatory waiver.
Stream 2: Composite Streetlight Chargers
Essential Energy will install 300 new composite (fibreglass) streetlight columns. Each column has a built-in 7kW destination charger inside it. CPOs can lease the column and use their own technology to run the charging service. Both the composite pole and the in-column charger are new technologies in Australia.
Project Details
| Detail | Information |
| Lead Organisation | Essential Energy |
| Location | Port Macquarie, NSW |
| ARENA Funding | $2.33 million |
| Total Project Cost | $6.01 million |
| ARENA Program | Driving the Nation Program |
| Project Partner | Wagners CFT Manufacturing Pty Ltd |
| Start Date | 1 August 2025 |
| End Date | 31 October 2028 |
| Stream 1 Target | 1,000 power poles enabled |
| Stream 2 Target | 300 composite streetlight chargers |
| Total Charging Points | Up to 1,300 |
| Charger Type (Stream 2) | 7kW in-column destination charger |
The Regulatory Approach
Essential Energy has applied to the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) for a ring-fencing waiver. This waiver is needed for Stream 2, where Essential Energy owns and maintains the charging hardware inside the streetlight columns.
The waiver allows private operators to use Essential Energy's infrastructure to provide retail charging services. Essential Energy does not sell electricity, set prices or operate the chargers. All pricing, branding and customer engagement is handled by the CPO.
The waiver is time-limited and designed to support a trial. Evidence from the trial will help shape future EV charging market development and inform regulatory decisions.
Why Regional Areas Are Different
Regional areas face higher costs and lower charger usage than cities. This makes it harder for private operators to justify the investment. Essential Energy's General Manager Commercial Development, Andrew Hillsdon, says someone needs to take the first step.
Without targeted action, regional communities will continue to lag behind cities in access to public EV charging.
The 7 kW chargers being used in the trial will provide a full charge for an average EV battery (60kWh) in ~9 hours.
Digital Tools and Site Selection
Essential Energy will build a new digital tool to assess potential charging sites. The tool will combine multiple data sources into a single interface that can be shared with local councils and CPOs. This will reduce the time and cost of finding and approving suitable locations.
Expected Benefits
The program aims to:
- Reduce range anxiety in regional NSW by increasing the number of public chargers
- Lower the cost and process burden for CPOs entering regional markets
- Support tourism and local economies in regional towns
- Cut greenhouse gas emissions by accelerating EV adoption
- Close the infrastructure gap between metropolitan and regional communities
About the author
Danny Thai
Danny is a consultant and entrepreneur working at the cutting edge of the electric vehicle and energy transition. He is passionate about educating and helping consumers make better decisions through data.
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