Electric vehicle drivers living in or visiting Shetland are being urged to prepare for changes to the public charging network as the service provider switches to ScottishPower.
Drivers will need to download a new app and or order a new charging card by the beginning of March, as ChargePlace Scotland’s contract to manage council owned public charging networks across the Highlands and Islands comes to an end this summer.
Twenty eight public charge points across Shetland will transition to the ScottishPower network, with the energy company taking responsibility for day to day operations, maintenance coordination and customer support.
All charging points will remain in their existing locations, while Shetland Islands Council will continue to set charging tariffs and manage the energy supply.
Once chargers move to the new network, ChargePlace Scotland cards will no longer work, although contactless payments will continue to be available at charge points where the option is already in place.
ScottishPower will apply a pre authorised payment at the start of each charging session, with any difference between the pre authorisation fee and the final cost either taken or refunded once charging is complete.
Electric vehicle drivers are being advised to take action before the beginning of March to ensure continued access to public charging points.
Drivers can download the ScottishPower Recharge app, available free from the App Store and Google Play Store, which allows users to locate chargers, pay for charging sessions and view their charging history.
Alternatively, drivers can order a new charging card, either a ScottishPower card through the app or a roaming card, which can be useful in areas where mobile signal is limited.
ScottishPower has roaming agreements in place with several partners, including Allstar, Electroverse, Gireve, OVO Charge and Zapmap, allowing drivers to use compatible cards and apps across multiple charging networks.
John Simpson, Team Leader with Shetland Islands Council’s Energy Efficiency Team, said:
“The changeover will affect the majority of public charge points on the network.
“There are a number of charge points where migration might not be possible until the units are upgraded in the summer.
“Our Energy Efficiency Team will provide further details as they become available.”
Drivers seeking further guidance on downloading the app or ordering a new charging card can contact ScottishPower’s helpline on 0800 001 5234.
