South Carolina regulators should adopt nine “guardrails” around the development of electric vehicle charging stations and be skeptical of utilities spending ratepayer funds on them, according to the state’s Office of Regulatory Staff, which represents consumers in public service commission proceedings.

The guardrails were outlined in an April 4 report published by the PSC, examining regulatory challenges and opportunities associated with transportation electrification in South Carolina.

Private developers typically say utility ownership of charging stations represents unfair competition, and some states are moving to limit the practice. However, “there’s not been a one-size-fits-all [solution] across the country,” said Jay Smith, executive director of the Charge Ahead Partnership, which represents businesses interested in providing EV infrastructure.