Jeju Special Self-Governing Province increased the charging rate for open-type electric vehicle chargers in the province from 250 won/kWh to 290 won/kWh from August 1 as KEPCO’s special discount on electricity rates for electric vehicle chargers were reduced from July.

This charge rate adjustment is in accordance with KEPCO’s step-by-step normalization of the special electric charge rate system for electric vehicle chargers. Due to this, the existing discount rate for the basic charge was reduced from 50% to 25%, and the discount rate for the power demand charge was reduced from 30% to 10%. This led to an increase in the electricity rates charged for electric vehicle chargers, which in turn raises the operating expenses of the chargers.

The Ministry of Environment has also decided to adjust the charging rate of the open-type fast chargers distributed by the Ministry from 255.7 won/kWh to 292.9 won for 50kW chargers, and 309.1 won for other chargers over 100kW. It was announced through the Integrated Website for Low-Emission Vehicle on July 3rd and took effect on the 12th.

Accordingly, the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province’s Electric Vehicle Revitalization Committee held a written deliberation in July to discuss an increase in charging rates due to KEPCO’s reduction of the special discount.

In the case of Jeju Province, the committee decided to maintain a single rate system as it does not operate chargers that are higher than 100kW. The charging rate is set at 290 won/kWh, which is lower than the charging rate announced by the Ministry of Environment (292.9 won), considering the users’ economic burden of charging. On July 14th, Jeju Province announced changes to charging rates through the provincial website.

Yoon Hyeong-seok, head of the Jeju Provincial Future Strategy Bureau, said, “It is a difficult but inevitable decision to adjust the charging rates for the continuous operation of chargers.”

Meanwhile, Jeju Province has currently built 521 open-type electric vehicle charging facilities (282 fast, 239 slow), and the charging facilities are currently consigned by Jeju Energy Corporation.