Utility Infrastructure Support for Commercial EV Charging Projects

An educational overview of how utility infrastructure coordination is commonly approached for large-scale EV charging installations in Southern California.

Why utility coordination matters for EV charging projects

Commercial and high-power EV charging installations often place significant new demand on the local electrical distribution system. As a result, early coordination with the serving electric utility is a critical step in project planning.

Utility infrastructure support may involve:

• Distribution system upgrades or service extensions
• Transformer sizing and placement
• New or upgraded service connections
• Load calculations and demand forecasting

Typical documentation required for utility review

For commercial EV charging projects, utilities commonly request a complete and coordinated project submission package rather than fragmented or partial files.

A standard submission package may include:

• Project information summary (site location, scope, schedule)
• Proposed number of charging ports and total EV load
• Electrical service voltage and panel sizing
• Load management or power-sharing strategies, if applicable
• Single-line electrical diagrams and load calculations
• Site development plans in both PDF and CAD formats

Design responsibility approaches

Utilities typically allow applicants to choose between different approaches for the design of distribution or service extensions associated with EV charging.

Utility-led design

Under this approach, the utility performs the required design work as part of the overall cost to serve the project. Design costs are generally incorporated into the project’s utility service estimate.

Applicant-led or competitively bid design

Alternatively, applicants may engage qualified third-party designers to develop portions of the required electrical infrastructure. In these cases, the utility typically provides a project-specific cost benchmark or design reference to ensure compatibility with system requirements.

Digital file and drawing considerations

Utilities often impose specific technical standards for digital plan submissions, particularly for CAD-based site drawings.

Common expectations include:

• Submission of all related drawings as a single coordinated set
• Use of approved CAD formats and versions
• Avoidance of broken cross-references or external file dependencies
• Clear labeling of electrical equipment and service points

When interconnection review may be required

Some EV charging projects may trigger additional interconnection review, especially when advanced or non-standard operating modes are involved.

Examples include:

• Bidirectional charging capability (vehicle-to-grid or vehicle-to-building)
• On-site energy storage interacting with EV chargers
• Export of power from EV systems to serve local or grid loads

In these scenarios, projects may need to follow formal interconnection procedures in addition to standard service requests.

Early planning best practices

• Engage the serving utility early during site feasibility analysis
• Confirm available electrical capacity before finalizing charger quantities
• Coordinate electrical design with civil and site layout plans
• Account for utility review timelines in the project schedule

Summary:
Utility infrastructure support plays a central role in the successful deployment of commercial EV charging. Understanding documentation expectations, design responsibilities, and potential interconnection considerations can help reduce delays, manage costs, and improve overall project outcomes.