VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh has taken a pioneering step in energy efficiency, with the AP Eastern Power Distribution Company Ltd (APEPDCL) becoming India’s first DISCOM to launch an e-retail platform for star-rated appliances.
Encouraged by the success of the National Testing House (NTH) initiative under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) has urged State Designated Agencies (SDAs) and DISCOMs to strengthen the Standards & Labelling (S&L) Programme. This aligns with a recent memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Ministries of Power and Consumer Affairs to enhance market surveillance and testing, ensuring 5-star appliances help reduce electricity consumption and support India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat vision.
Through a collaboration with Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), APEPDCL’s Energy Efficient Appliance Programme enables Vizag consumers to purchase energy-saving products, including LED bulbs, BLDC fans, and super-efficient air conditioners, via the DISCOM’s portal. BEE Secretary Milind Deore emphasised the importance of maintaining product quality, lauding the initiative for ensuring compliance and reliability.
An awareness campaign, leveraging SMS, WhatsApp, and electricity bills, supports the initiative, ensuring easy access and after-sales support through the EESL Mart portal. BEE data for FY 2022-23 highlights the programme’s impact: 81.64 billion units of electricity saved, major cost reductions, and a 58-million-tonne drop in CO2 emissions.