Western Power Distribution

The Challenge

WPD first introduced electric vans into its operational ‘white fleet’ in 2010 and has continued to set the pace in the adoption of electric vehicles. In 2020 WPD planned to install an EV charging corridor across 12 depots from Lincolnshire to Cornwall to enable its electric van drivers to travel easily between depots.

The Solution

WPD selected ElectrAssure to install chargers at the first depot in Nottingham. ElectrAssure specified 2 x Delta 50kW Ultrafast Chargers tailored to the requirements of the WPD white fleet while providing a clear upgrade path to futureproof the systems. Each charger offered:

• 2 x CHAdeMO + 1 x CCS DC outlets, field swappable CHAdeMO to CCS
• 50kW DC shared between any two DC outlets, upgradable to 150kW
• Managed by Hubeleon Back Office

On delivery, one of the UFCs was found to have been damaged in transit. This was shortly followed by the announcement of the first COVID-19 lockdown. The damage was found to be extensive and the UFC was written off. The unit was replaced by Delta and ElectrAssure installed the replacement unit immediately after lockdown was lifted.

WPD instructed ElectrAssure to replicate the Nottingham installation across the remaining 11 sites. ElectrAssure carried out site surveys and provided reports and quotations and the final list of sites were selected. Three of the sites, had power restrictions and one required integration with the existing battery storage and solar PV systems. ElectrAssure specified Dynamic Demand Controller (DDC) to maximise the utilisation of the power available while protecting the incoming supply.

The Outcome

Due to technical issues and delays in the depot pre-works and the second lockdown, the installation schedule changed several times. This was accommodated seamlessly and the installations were completed ahead of schedule and to budget.