VIJAYAWADA: Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a joint venture under the Ministry of Power, Government of India, has proposed a series of energy efficiency initiatives in collaboration with Andhra Pradesh Eastern Power Distribution Company Limited (APEPDCL), citing the State’s progressive energy policies and investor-friendly environment.
The announcement came during a high-level meeting at APEPDCL’s Corporate Office in Visakhapatnam, attended by Pruthvitej Immadi, APEPDCL CMD, Akhilesh Kumar Dixit, EESL’s newly appointed CEO, and senior officials.
EESL lauded APEPDCL as one of India’s top-performing DISCOMs for its exemplary implementation of energy efficiency programmes. Under the UJALA initiative, Andhra Pradesh has saved 2,863 million kWh of electricity annually, translating to `1,145 crore in cost savings and an avoided peak demand of 573 MW. Nationally, EESL’s efforts have resulted in savings of 47,882 million kWh, equivalent to `19,153 crore and an avoided peak demand of 9,586 MW, with Andhra Pradesh contributing roughly 6% of the total.
The State has also set a benchmark in the LED Street Lighting Programme, installing over 30 lakh LED streetlights—23 lakh in rural areas and 7 lakh in urban centres—out of 1.36 crore nationwide. Andhra Pradesh’s early adoption of energy-efficient street lighting, starting in Visakhapatnam after Cyclone Hudhud in 2014, gave rise to the globally recognised “Vizag Model,” later replicated in cities including Varanasi, Jaipur, Surat, Ahmedabad, and Mumbai.
In a first for India, APEPDCL launched an e-Retail platform in partnership with EESL, enabling consumers to purchase star-rated, energy-efficient appliances through the DISCOM’s portal at competitive prices. The platform, supported by an outreach campaign via SMS, WhatsApp, and online promotions, encourages the adoption of eco-friendly technologies to lower electricity bills.
EESL also proposed several collaborative initiatives for APEPDCL, including the National E-Mobility Programme to deploy electric vehicles for government use, establishment of EV charging stations under a revenue-sharing model, and development of solar rooftop and ground-mounted projects on government buildings and government land.