Up to 100 chargers will be built on Victorian power poles under the plan approved by the Australian Energy Regulator on Thursday, almost 10 months after CitiPower, Powercor and United Energy applied for a legal waiver.
But the companies will need to comply with nine conditions from the regulator, including ensuring some chargers feed power back into the electricity network using vehicle-to-grid technology.
The plan's approval comes despite opposition from several firms during consultation, including Tesla, Origin Energy, AGL, NRMA and Engie.
The waiver will allow the three power providers to install 22 kilowatt electric car chargers on power poles they will own and maintain until mid-2031.
The providers will lease access to the chargers to third-party providers, which will set fees and bill motorists to use them.
While other energy companies and charging providers expressed competition concerns about the proposal, Australian Energy Regulator chair Clare Savage said it could provide insights into charging infrastructure and managing electricity demand.
"There has been significant interest in this trial waiver application and a wide range of views have been provided by a broad spectrum of stakeholders during consultation," she said.
"On balance, we consider there are a number of potential benefits for all Victorian electricity consumers from the trial."
Nine conditions were placed on the trial included publishing a list of proposed sites, ensuring five per cent of chargers had vehicle-to-grid functionality, and releasing an annual report on its results.
"All waiver proposals are considered individually against the need to preserve market competition and the long-term interests of all energy consumers," Ms Savage said.
The power companies will establish 10 EV-charging trial sites before the end of the year, CitiPower, Powercor and United Energy customer connections head Dan Bye said, with details to be published in coming weeks.
Locations would be selected based on areas with high levels of EV adoption, he said, and limited off-street parking facilities.
"EV drivers, councils and communities are asking for pole-mounted chargers to be installed in their areas so we will work with interested parties to find the best locations for these points," he said.
The proposal to waive ring-fencing rules attracted objections from several companies during consultation, with firms including NRMA and AGL expressing concerns it would reduce competition.
Kent Johns from the National Electrical and Communications Association welcomed the regulator's conditions on the trial, but said charging providers had already emerged to service Australia's EV market and should not be undermined.
Electric vehicle fast chargers have been installed in more than 1200 Australian locations, according to the Electric Vehicle Council's State of EVs report, up by 20 per cent from 2024.
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