(a) "Electric company" has the meaning given that term in ORS 757.600.

(b) "Transportation electrification" means:

(A) The use of electricity from external sources to provide power to all or part of a vehicle;

(B) Programs related to developing the use of electricity for the purpose described in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph; and

(C) Infrastructure investments related to developing the use of electricity for the purpose described in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph.

(c) "Vehicle" means a vehicle, vessel, train, boat or any other equipment that is mobile.

(2) The Legislative Assembly finds and declares that:

(a) Transportation electrification is necessary to reduce petroleum use, achieve optimum levels of energy efficiency and carbon reduction, meet federal and state air quality standards, meet this state’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals described in ORS 468A.205 and improve the public health and safety;

(b) Widespread transportation electrification requires that electric companies increase access to the use of electricity as a transportation fuel;

(c) Widespread transportation electrification requires that electric companies increase access to the use of electricity as a transportation fuel in low and moderate income communities;

(d) Widespread transportation electrification should stimulate innovation and competition, provide consumers with increased options in the use of charging equipment and in procuring services from suppliers of electricity, attract private capital investments and create high quality jobs in this state;

(e) Transportation electrification and the purchase and use of electric vehicles should assist in managing the electrical grid, integrating generation from renewable energy resources and improving electric system efficiency and operational flexibility, including the ability of an electric company to integrate variable generating resources;

(f) Deploying transportation electrification and electric vehicles creates the opportunity for an electric company to propose, to the Public Utility Commission, that a net benefit for the customers of the electric company is attainable; and

(g) Charging electric vehicles in a manner that provides benefits to electrical grid management affords fuel cost savings for vehicle drivers.

(3) The Public Utility Commission shall direct each electric company to file applications, in a form and manner prescribed by the commission, for programs to accelerate transportation electrification. A program proposed by an electric company may include prudent investments in or customer rebates for electric vehicle charging and related infrastructure.

(4) When considering a transportation electrification program and determining cost recovery for investments and other expenditures related to a program proposed by an electric company under subsection (3) of this section, the commission shall consider whether the investments and other expenditures:

(a) Are within the service territory of the electric company;

(b) Are prudent as determined by the commission;

(c) Are reasonably expected to be used and useful as determined by the commission;

(d) Are reasonably expected to enable the electric company to support the electric company’s electrical system;

(e) Are reasonably expected to improve the electric company’s electrical system efficiency and operational flexibility, including the ability of the electric company to integrate variable generating resources; and

(f) Are reasonably expected to stimulate innovation, competition and customer choice in electric vehicle charging and related infrastructure and services.

(5)(a) Tariff schedules and rates allowed pursuant to subsection (3) of this section:

(A) May allow a return of and a return on an investment made by an electric company under subsection (3) of this section; and

(B) Shall be recovered from all customers of an electric company in a manner that is similar to the recovery of distribution system investments.

(b) A return on investment allowed under this subsection may be earned for a period of time that does not exceed the depreciation schedule of the investment approved by the commission. When an electric company’s investment is fully depreciated, the commission may authorize the electric company to donate the electric vehicle charging infrastructure to the owner of the property on which the infrastructure is located.

(6) For purposes of ORS 757.355, electric vehicle charging infrastructure provides utility service to the customers of an electric company.

(7) In authorizing programs described in subsection (3) of this section, the commission shall review data concerning current and future adoption of electric vehicles and utilization of electric vehicle charging infrastructure. If market barriers unrelated to the investment made by an electric company prevent electric vehicles from adequately utilizing available electric vehicle charging infrastructure, the commission may not permit additional investments in transportation electrification without a reasonable showing that the investments would not result in long-term stranded costs recoverable from the customers of electric companies. [2016 c.28 §20]

Note: 757.357 was enacted into law by the Legislative Assembly but was not added to or made a part of ORS chapter 757 or any series therein by legislative action. See Preface to Oregon Revised Statutes for further explanation.