Power Calculator Calculator for Virginia
NEC 2020 power calculator math for EV charger installers working in Virginia.
Converting between kW and amps is the entry point for nearly every Virginia EV install spec — manufacturers publish kW, but the panel, breaker, and feeder live in amps.
Worked example for Virginia
A 11.5 kW EVSE draws roughly 48 A at 240 V single-phase, or 14 A at 480 V three-phase. Apply the NEC 2020 125% continuous-load multiplier before sizing the OCPD or feeder. Dominion Energy Virginia typically meters DCFC sites at the 480 V three-phase service in Virginia.
Code & Utilities
The applicable code in Virginia is the NEC 2020, which the state adopted in 2021. That includes Article 625 (Electric Vehicle Power Transfer System) requirements: 125% continuous-load sizing on EVSE branch circuits, GFCI protection at outdoor receptacles, and provisions for energy management systems on shared circuits.
In Virginia, you'll most often interconnect with Dominion Energy Virginia, Appalachian Power, Old Dominion Electric Cooperative. Their make-ready, time-of-use, and demand-charge structures vary widely; pull the specific tariff before sizing service equipment.
Climate & Ampacity
Plan EV feeders against a 92°F ambient in Virginia — the resulting NEC 310.15(B) correction of 0.88× is what trims a #6 THWN-2 down to its true continuous rating. Because the correction is below 0.9, conductors that "look fine" on a 30°C ampacity table will not carry their nameplate current here — always derate explicitly.
Virginia takeaway
For three-phase math, always confirm the actual nameplate power factor — DCFC equipment is usually 0.95+ but older site-rated equipment can be lower, which changes the apparent power and the conductor pick.