One organisation looking to ensure that local authorities have robust and transparent processes for the operation and maintenance of charge point installations is the University of Strathclyde Power Networks Demonstration Centre (PNDC).
We engaged with PNDC to learn about their work investigating chargepoint reliability, maintenance, and fault repair on the completed Assure Charge project, a class-leading piece of work in its approach to network monitoring and management.
An example of their work is the decision-tree and accompanying tier system for fault resolution featured below.
The flowchart details a best-practice process for fault reporting and resolution along with on-going support. One that provides a clear chain of command for the reactive maintenance of public chargepoints. Meanwhile the tier system outlines the types of support activities that can be performed at each level.
When a fault is identified by a chargepoint user or the chargepoint system, this shows where responsibility for managing the fault lies at each stage. Where the fault cannot be rectified, or the solution to it cannot be implemented remotely, it is elevated to a higher tier until the issue is resolved and the ticket can be closed.
Employing robust fault management processes is critical to creating a reliable and resilient network. You should place emphasis on this as part of your overall procurement process.
PNDC have put their learnings to use in HITRANS’ FASTER project procurement process, as detailed in the case study within this section.
