State clinches energy saving award for fourth straight year

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh won prestigious National Energy Conservation Award for the fourth consecutive year, marking a rare and outstanding achievement among Indian states.

The state secured the first prize in the State Energy Efficiency Performance Award (Group II) at the National Energy Conservation Award–2025, with an impressive 89.25 score in the State Energy Efficiency Index (SEEI–2025), registering a 2.3 per cent improvement over its SEEI–2024 score.

The National Energy Conservation Award–2025 will be presented by President of India Droupadi Murmu on the occasion of National Energy Conservation Day on December 14 at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi. The state government has nominated L Sivashankar, CMD, APSPDCL, to receive the award on behalf of APSECM.

In a press release on Saturday, chief secretary K Vijayanand said the consistent recognition highlights the state's sustained and structured approach to energy conservation across key sectors such as buildings, industry, agriculture, municipalities, discoms and transport.

He noted that the achievement reflects the visionary leadership of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and the strong support of Energy Minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar, along with coordinated efforts of all government departments and stakeholders.

Congratulating AP State Energy Conservation Mission (APSECM) CEO S Nagalakshmi and her team, the chief secretary said the four-year consecutive victory underlines the state’s robust institutional framework and long-term commitment to energy efficiency.

The chief secretary highlighted key initiatives including the Integrated Clean Energy Policy, AP Industrial Development Policy 4.0 (2024–29), sector-specific policies for MSMEs, electronics and food processing, and the establishment of energy conservation cells with nodal officers across departments.

APSECM CEO Nagalakshmi expressed gratitude to the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), Government of India, and all state departments for their support and collaboration. She said significant progress was made in enforcing the Energy Conservation Building Code, implementing energy efficiency projects in schools, hospitals and ITIs, promoting advanced technologies in MSMEs, and executing municipal pumping system upgrades, which collectively contributed to the state’s top national ranking.