PSC extends PHI smart charge management and allows reallocation to repair utility-owned public chargers amid reliability concerns

The Public Service Commission voted Dec. 18 to allow Pepco and Delmarva Power & Light to extend Smart Charge Management (SCM) enrollment for 12 months and to reallocate unspent public EV charging funds to repair and replace existing utility-owned public chargers.

Drew McAuliffe of commission staff said PHI's semiannual report requested reopening the SCM program to new applicants through Dec. 31, 2025, and to use remaining public-charger budgets to replace and repair offline equipment. Staff supported the extension and reallocation, saying it would enroll an estimated 3,500 customers and that replacing broken chargers would preserve reliability and public confidence in EV charging.

Public commenter Lanny Hartman, an EV driver and participant in the EV work group, documented multiple utility-owned sites that were entirely offline for months, described poor navigation/app reporting and low PlugShare ratings for some stations, and asked whether replacement spending would fix ongoing reliability problems. "I'm not convinced that this is gonna solve the problem," Hartman said of the planned replacements, and urged case-by-case evaluation.

PHI counsel Taylor Beckham said the companies are not seeking additional funds but want to reallocate unspent Phase 1 monies to improve uptime and meet the program's 97% uptime requirement. She said some data and IT upgrades are needed before automatic enrollment into EV-only time-of-use rates can be implemented for SCM enrollees.

Commissioners pressed utilities on reporting cadence and accuracy of status data used by apps and vehicle navigation. PHI said reliability-reporting templates are being developed in an EV working group and that companies will provide more frequent data to staff. After discussion and public comment, the commission approved the requested extension and reallocation; votes were recorded as aye by all commissioners.