The problem was simple, and so was the solution: The Idaho PUC issued an order to implement a new state law and that essentially removes those offering commercial electric vehicle charging stations from being considered an “electrical corporation” under state law. That means that places offering an EV charge for, well, a charge, are no longer considered a “utility” regulated by the PUC.
While some EV charging stations, such as those at Whole Foods and Sierra Club in Boise, allow EV-driving customers to charge up for free, some others plan to charge a fee to juice up. The Legislature passed a quick fix in the 2015 session, and effective July, and thanks to a PUC order, that problem has been fixed.