Impact of plug in electric vehicles on Manitoba Hydro´s distribution system

Plug in Electric Vehicles (PEV´s) recently became commercially available and are starting to appear on the distribution system as new loads. The first generation of electric cars is anticipated to be available in Manitoba by 2012 and utilize 1.4 kW, 3.3kW, and 6.6kW chargers. However, first generation chargers will lack bidirectional communication capabilities and will have limited ability to automatically shift charging times to off-peak hours. Consequently, the majority of PEV owners are expected to charge their vehicles during evening home arrival, typically between 16:00 and 20:00, coinciding with peak loading times on typical residential feeders in Manitoba Hydro´s service area. Much of Manitoba Hydro´s distribution system was originally constructed between 1930 and 1970 and is approaching capacity design limits. The addition of electric vehicle loads to these circuits is anticipated to stretch system capacity further over the next couple of years. This paper will assess charging characteristics of PEV´s along with temporal and spatial variations in PEV charging to determine the effect they have on a typical 12.47kV distribution feeder in the City of Winnipeg.