The Maldives Energy Act has been ratified.

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih ratified the act on Monday. It received parliament approval on September 21, at the 16th sitting of its third session of the ongoing year.

The act, which takes immediate effect, has since been publicized in the government gazette.

The regulations adopted under the act must be published within 12 months since the act comes into effect.

The ratification of the Maldives Energy Act nullifies the Public Services Act.

The act establishes a legal framework of standards and laws for the provision of energy across Maldives and deals with the production and consumption of energy as well. It also highlights rights of consumers and those of service providers, including the quality that must be upheld by the providers, and the responsibility to reasonable pricing.

It goes on to cover enhancing energy in order to establish energy services that are sustainable and environment-safe. The act stipulates tolerance for climate change and awareness of the carbon footprint in this regard. It describes measures to reduce expenditure and promote greener methods and technology of generating and disseminating energy.

The recently ratified act also carries the purpose of safely, securely and sustainably storing and maintaining energy, as well as rights and obligations of energy users and providers.

It also describes policies for granting licenses to energy service providers and the transition to a renewable-energy based economy in order to meet the country’s carbon-neutral goals.

The act goes on to outline regulations for taking action against individuals who deliberately damage energy resources and services and against those who provide inadequate services.

Inguraidhoo constituency MP Hassan Ahmed submitted the Maldives Energy Bill to the People’s Majlis, which was accepted and forwarded for committee review in June 2020.