EQB fire in Johor: company operating charging station did not have licence

THE Energy Commision (ST) in a statement revealed that the operator of an electric vehicle charging station (EVCS) in Johor, which caught fire on December 31, was found to be operating without a licence.

In the statement, the Energy Commission noted that the Electricity Supply Act 1990 (Act 447) and the Electricity Regulations 1994 stipulate that energy supply activities from any installation must be carried out with a valid licence from ST.

In the incident, a Mercedes-Benz EQB was engulfed in flames while charging at a vehicle showroom building in Tampoi.

According to ST, about 5% of the 256 sq metre premises and 20% of the EV charging bay were also destroyed. No injuries were reported.

The commision said that it is currently investigating to identify the real cause of the incident. The responsible party and the company involved will also be called upon to assist in the investigation.

On December 16, 2022, ST reportedly advised the operators of charging point operators (CPO) involved in the development of electric vehicle charging infrastructure (EV) to promptly obtain a valid public distribution licence for the EVCS installations in the country, including those already in operation, by March 31, 2023 last year.