In a major step towards enhancing energy security in the State by promoting energy conservation, the government has issued orders to set up energy conservation cells and district-level offices of the government departments. Andhra Pradesh is the first State in the country to involve every department in the energy conservation drive, essential to achieve cost-effective power and sustainable development.
Chief Secretary and Chairman of the AP State Energy Conservation Mission (APSECM) Nilam Sawhney said: “Energy is the key source of economic growth and the most important input for economic development. The use of energy drives economic productivity and industrial growth and is central to the operation of any modern economy. On the other hand, buildings are an important field for energy conservation and use of energy-efficient appliances in offices and residences is one of the crucial steps in promoting energy conservation and energy efficiency. Efficient use of energy will benefit the energy end-user in the form of reducing electricity bills.”
She said the government had been giving top priority to the power sector and promotion of efficient use of energy and its conservation was the least-cost option to meet the increasing energy demand.
BEE estimate
As per the estimate of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), an agency of Union Ministry of Power and the APSECM, there is scope to save about 25 % of energy (16,000 MU) against the State’s annual energy requirement of about 64,000 MU. Achieving energy efficiency will require very less investment and it is also the easiest solution to bridge the gap between demand and supply of energy.
The idea behind the proposed energy conservation cells is to introduce cost-effective, energy-efficient technologies in the government departments and promote energy conscious culture that encourages sensible decisions with regard to energy consumption. Efficient use of energy will ensure reduction of energy consumption as well as electricity bills.
All the Heads of Departments (HoDs), District Collectors and Chairpersons of Corporations and Societies in the State have been asked to shoulder the responsibility of constituting an energy conservation (EC) cell by utilising the services of their existing staff, within one month.
Nodal agency
Each energy conservation cell will act as a nodal agency and coordinate with the Chief Executive Officer(CEO)/APSECM for effective implementation of energy conservation and energy efficiency measures in a time-bound manner.
“Once the government departments start implementing these measures, it will encourage the general public to follow the suit,” said the Chief Secretary.
Secretary, Department of Energy Srikant Nagulapalli thanked Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, Minister for Energy Balineni Srinivas Reddy and the Union Chief Secretary for their support to the cause and their guidance to create energy conservation cells.
