1. Short title, extent and commencement.—(1) This Act may be called the Energy Conservation
Act, 2001.
(2) It extends to the whole of India 1***.
(3) It shall come into force on such date2
as the Central Government may, by notification in the
Official Gazette, appoint; and different dates may be appointed for different provisions of this Act and
any reference in any such provision to the commencement of this Act shall be construed as a reference to
the coming into force of that provision.
2. Definitions.—In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—
(a) “accredited energy auditor” means 3
[an energy auditor accredited in accordance with the
provisions of] clause (p) of sub-section (2) of section 13;
(b) “Appellate Tribunal” means the Appellate Tribunal for Energy Conservation 4
[referred to in
section 30];
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[
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[(c) “building” means any structure or erection or part of structure or erection––
(i) constructed after the rules relating to energy conservation and sustainable building codes
have been notified by the Central Government under clause (p) of section 14 and by the State
Government under clause (a) of section 15;
(ii) which has a minimum connected load of 100 Kilowatt (kW) or contract demand of 120
Kilovolt Ampere (kVA); and
(iii) which is used or intended to be used for commercial purpose or as an office building or
for residential purpose:
Provided that the State Government may specify a lower connected load or contract demand than
the load or demand specified above;]]
(d) “Bureau” means the Bureau of Energy Efficiency established under sub-section (1) of
section 3;
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[(da) “carbon credit certificate” means the certificate issued by the Central Government or any
agency authorised by it under section 14AA;
(db) “carbon credit trading scheme” means the scheme for reduction of carbon emissions notified
by the Central Government under clause (w) of section 14;]
(e) “Chairperson” means the Chairperson of the Governing Council;
1. The words “except the State of Jammu and Kashmir” omitted by Act 34 of 2019, s. 95 and the Fifth Schedule
(w.e.f. 31-10- 2019).
2. 28th June, 2012 (sections 31, 33, 44, 45), vide notification No. S. O. 1433(E), dated 28th June, 2012, see Gazette of India,
Extraordinary, Part II, sec. 3(ii).
1st March, 2002 (sections 1 to 29 and 46 to 62), vide notification No. S.O. 268 (E), dated 1st March, 2002, see Gazette of India,
Extraordinary, Part II, sec. 3(ii).
3. Subs. by Act 28 of 2010, s. 2, for “an auditor possessing qualifications specified under” (w.e.f. 24-8-2010).
4. Subs. by s. 2, ibid., for “established under section 30” (w.e.f. 24-8-2010).
5. Subs. by s. 2, ibid., for clause (c) (w.e.f. 24-8-2010).
6. Subs. by Act 19 of 2022, s. 2, for clause (c) (w.e.f. 1-1-2023).
7. Ins. by s. 2, ibid. (w.e.f. 1-1-2023).
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(f) “designated agency” means any agency designated under clause (d) of section 15;
(g) “designated consumer” means any consumer specified under clause (e) of section 14;
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[(h) “energy” means any form of energy derived from fossil fuels or non-fossil sources or
renewable sources;]
(i) “energy audit” means the verification, monitoring and analysis of use of energy including
submission of technical report containing recommendations for improving energy efficiency with cost
benefit analysis and an action plan to reduce energy consumption;
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[(ia) “energy auditor” means any individual possessing the qualifications prescribed under clause
(m) of section 14;]
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[(j) “energy conservation and sustainable building code” means the code which provides norms
and standards for energy efficiency and its conservation, use of renewable energy and other green
building requirements for a building;]
(k) “energy consumption standards” means the norms for process and energy consumption
standards specified under clause (a) of section 14;
(l) “Energy Management Centre” means the Energy Management Centre set up under the
Resolution of the Government of India in the erstwhile Ministry of Energy, Department of Power No.
7(2)/87- EP(Vol. IV), dated the 5th July, 1989 and registered under the Societies Registration Act,
1860 (21 of 1860);
(m) “energy manager” means any individual possessing the qualifications prescribed under
clause (m) of section 14;
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[(ma) “energy savings certificate” means any energy savings certificate issued to the designated
consumers under sub-section (1) of section 14A;
(maa) “equipment or appliance” means any equipment or appliance which consumes, generates,
transmits or supplies energy and includes any device that consumes any form of energy and produces
a desired work;]
(n) “Governing Council” means the Governing Council referred to in section 4;
(o) “member” means the member of the Governing Council and includes the Chairperson;
(p) “notification” means a notification in the Gazette of India or, as the case may be, the Official
Gazette of a State;
(q) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under this Act;
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[(qa) “registered entity” means any entity, including designated consumers, registered for carbon
credit trading scheme specified under clause (w) of section 14;]
(r) “regulations” means regulations made by the Bureau under this Act;
(s) “Schedule” means the Schedule to this Act;
(t) “State Commission” means the State Electricity Regulatory Commission established under
sub-section (1) of section 17 of the Electricity Regulatory Commissions Act, 1998 (14 of 1998);
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[(ta) “vehicle” shall have the same meaning as assigned to it in clause (28) of section 2 of the
Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (59 of 1988);
(tb) “vessel” includes every description of water craft used or capable of being used in inland
waters or in coastal waters, including any ship, boat, sailing vessel, tug, barge or other description of
vessel including non-displacement craft, amphibious craft, wing-in-ground craft, ferry, roll-on-roll-off
1. Subs. by Act 19 of 2022, s. 2, for clause (h) (w.e.f. 1-1-2023).
2. Ins. by s. 2, ibid. (w.e.f. 1-1-2023).
3. Subs. by s. 2, ibid., for clause (j) (w.e.f. 1-1-2023).
4. Ins. by Act 28 of 2010, s. 2 (w.e.f. 24-8-2010).
5. Ins. by Act 19 of 2022, s. 2, (w.e.f. 1-1-2023).
6. Ins. by s. 2, ibid. (w.e.f. 1-1-2023).
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vessel, container vessel, tanker vessel, gas carrier or floating unit or dumb vessel used for
transportation, storage or accommodation within or through inland waters and coastal waters;]
(u) words and expressions used and not defined in this Act but defined in the Indian Electricity
Act, 1910 (9 of 1910) or the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1948 (54 of 1948) or the Electricity Regulatory
Commissions Act, 1998 (14 of 1998) shall have the meanings respectively assigned to them in those
Acts.