Andhra Pradesh has secured the top position at the national level in energy conservation for the fourth consecutive year, Chief Secretary K. Vijayanand said on Saturday.

Chief Secretary recalled that after Cyclone Hudhud in 2015, all streetlights in Visakhapatnam were converted to LED lighting, resulting in nearly 45 percent energy savings. Central Control and Monitoring System (CCMS) boxes were installed to enable remote monitoring. In partnership with central agencies, over two crore LED bulbs were distributed statewide, delivering around 30 per cent energy savings.

Vijayanand said amendments to the Municipal Act mandated energy-efficient equipment for new buildings under a Green Building Code, with 2,000-3,000 structures already recognised as green buildings. He said the vision of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, under Swarna Andhra Vision-2047, is to make Andhra Pradesh a net-zero carbon State. The Integrated Clean Energy Policy prioritises new and renewable energy sources, with a target of 160 GW over the next five years; approvals for nearly 100 GW have already been issued.

Promoting rooftop solar in every village, Vijayanand said that the initiative would save energy and reduce transmission losses.