With an aim to embrace sustainable development paradigm and reduce existing pressures on the environment, the present Program proposes implementation of a wide-scale energy efficiency policy targeting four broad sub-areas, specifically: 1) improving energy conservation and enhancing energy efficiency; 2) advancing fossil fuels production technologies, 3) upscaling renewable energy; 4) facilitating innovative development of the fuel and energy complex of the Russian Federation.The program objectives comply with provisions of the Energy Strategy of the Russian Federation until 2030. --- Overall perspective is given on the status of the fuel and energy complex of the Russian Federation, existing challenges and potentials for development. Despite volatility resulting from global economic uncertainty, the issue of persistent weak performance observed in particular sections of Russia’s fuel and energy complex is brought to the fore by the Program. --- The Program was adopted to replace the State Program on Energy Conservation and Improving Energy Efficiency until 2020.

The Federal Service for Ecological, Technological and Nuclear Supervision (Rostechnadzor) is a national executive authority exercising - within the scope of its responsibilities - the functions of development and implementation of national nuclear policies. The agency carries out nuclear supervision responsibilities (except for development, production, testing, disposal of nuclear weapons and military nuclear power installations), monitors safety of electrical and thermal installations and networks (except for household installations and networks), safety of hydraulic engineering structures (excluding navigable hydraulic engineering structures and hydraulic engineering structures), ensures compliance with safety requirements throughout production, storage and application of explosive material of industrial purpose. Since its inception in 2004, the agency has established itself as a significant national environmental monitoring and coordination regulatory body.

The Program was adopted by the Ministry of Energy pursuant to the Directive of the Russian Government No.1950-r of 11 November 2010. The Program focuses on nine priority action areas and includes the following subprograms: 1. Energy Conservation and Improving Energy Efficiency of the Power Sector, 2. Energy Conservation and Improving Energy Efficiency in Heating and Utilities, 3. Energy Conservation and Improving Energy Efficiency in Industrial Sector, 4. Energy Conservation and Improving Energy Efficiency in Transport, 5. Energy Conservation and Improving Energy Efficiency of Municipal Institutions, 6. Energy Conservation and Improving Energy Efficiency in Residential Sector, 7. Enhancing Energy Efficiency and Improving Energy Conservation at the Regional Level (Subjects of the Russian Federation), 8. Improving Energy Efficiency of Agricultural Sector, 9. Provision of Relevant Methodological Support, Information and Human Capacities for Improving Energy Conservation and Enhancing Energy Efficiency. --- In 2013, the policy ceased to be in force with the adoption of the State Program on Energy Efficiency and Power Sector Development for 2013-2020.

For the purposes of ensuring government control over implementation of activities related to the electric power industry reform, the transitional period of the electric power industry reform shall be introduced from the day of entry into force of the Federal Law "On the Electric Power Industry" to July 1, 2008. During the transitional period, the resolutions of the management bodies of Unified Energy System of Russia concerning its reorganization (including resolutions on the reorganization of the company and its form, the procedure for the allocation of shares in the reorganized company, the formation of property of the companies established through reorganization) shall be adopted by a simple majority of votes cast by voters (part one as amended by Federal Law No. 250-FZ of November 4, 2007).

The Federal Law no 41 defines economic, organizational and legal foundations of national regulation on electricity and heat tariff setting in the Russian Federation. The regulation of electricity and heat (capacity) tariffs (hereinafter also "tariffs") shall be performed in accordance with the principles set forth by the present Federal Law through the establishment of economically feasible tariffs (prices, service fees) for electricity and heat and/or their limits (part one as amended by Federal Law No. 38-FZ of March 26, 2003). The effective period of established tariffs and/or their limits may not be less than one fiscal year, unless otherwise established by a federal law, a decision of the Government of the Russian Federation (part two as amended by Federal Law No. 199-FZ of December 31, 2005). The limits on tariffs for electricity and heat supplied by power supplying entities to customers, including the limits on tariffs for households, shall be established by the Government of the Russian Federation; the limits for households shall be formulated annually before the submission of the draft federal law on the federal budget for the next fiscal year to the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation and shall come into force on the first day of the above-mentioned year in accordance with the procedure established by this Federal Law. The above-mentioned tariff limits may be established by the Government of the Russian Federation and broken down by calendar date or customer category adjusted for regional and other peculiarities (as amended by Federal Laws No. 6-FZ of January 10, 2003, No. 125-FZ of July 7, 2003, No. 147-FZ of December 2, 2005). The executive bodies of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation in the area of government regulation of tariffs shall establish the tariffs for electricity and heat supplied by power supplying entities to customers, including households, for the next fiscal year within the above-mentioned limits before the adoption of a law of a constituent entity of the Russian Federation on the budget of a constituent entity of the Russian Federation (part four is introduced by Federal Law No. 6-FZ of January 10, 2003). ---- The policy lost effect on 1 January 2011.

The primary objective of the energy policy of the Russian Federation is to facilitate the effective utilization of energy resources and to sustain overall economic growth, improve the quality of life of the population and improve international economic positions of the country. The Strategy determines objectives and goals of the Russian energy sector long-term development for the up-coming period, its priorities and guidelines, as well as mechanisms of the state energy policy at the implementation phases of the Strategy ensuring realization of the stated objectives. -- The Strategy covers the period until 2030 and sets goals and priorities for national development. The Strategy sets new guidelines for development of the energy sector in the transition of Russian economy to the innovative path of development specified in the Conception of Long-Term Social and Economic Development of the Russian Federation up to 2020 approved by Decree N° 1662-r of the Government of the Russian Federation dated 17 November 2008. -- The main objective of the national energy policy is to facilitate the transition to an innovative path of economic development. Demand for energy resources should be met taking into account the following gist of proposed measures: 1) Russia’s living standards must be set equal to those of developed countries; 2) Russia needs to enhance its scientific and technological base ensuring its competitive advantage and its national (including energy) security; 3) national economic structures are required to be changed to expand energy-intensive sectors; 4) the country must transfer from export of natural resources to innovative-development (including development of fuel and non-fuel energy both) and related industries; 5) the country should decrease the share of the fuel and energy complex in its economic output and also increase the absolute levels of investments in the energy sector necessary for the development and rapid modernization of the sector and growth of its activities; 6) energy efficiency needs to be improved along with reducing energy intensity of national economy to the level of countries with similar climatic conditions such as Canada and the Scandinavian countries; 7) step-by-step reducing carbon footprint and mitigating climate change by reducing pollutant emissions, wastewater discharge, greenhouse gases emissions as well as reducing energy production and consumption waste. Energy sector development is expected to contribute to human capital development (improving energy infrastructure and providing energy goods and services at socially affordable prices, sustainably training highly-qualified personnel and increasing quality of life of the population, including those working in the energy and related sectors), as well as facilitate the transition to a new model of inclusive development based on balanced development of energy and transport infrastructure.

The Decree proposes to draft a regulation for increasing energy efficiency, reducing energy consumption and associated environmental impacts in the Russian Federation. The present policy is a guideline document for provision of financial, technological and capacity-building support to implementation of projects for improving energy efficiency.

The present Federal Law establishes legal foundations for economic relations in the field of electric power production and consumption, defines the authority of governmental bodies for regulating these relations, the principal rights and duties of the electric power industry entities (including cogeneration) and electricity and heat consumers (as stipulated by Art. 1).

The Federal Law no 261 defines core regulatory principles in the field of energy efficiency and energy conservation. The Law is adopted to replace the Federal Law On Energy Efficiency no. 28-FL dated 3 April 1996. The Law envisages amendments to a number of regulatory documents comprising the Tax Code of the Russian Federation, the Code of Administrative Offences, Federal Law On Public Procurement for the Delivery of Goods, Works Accomplishment and Services Rendering no. 49 – FL of 21 July 2005. Regulatory frameworks established by the Law require development of a number of bylaws, e.g., concerning energy efficiency requirements for goods, buildings and construction sector, public procurement, regional and municipal programs and initiatives on energy efficiency. -- The Law proposes establishing legislative, economic and organizational foundations for enhancement of energy efficiency and energy conservation. Art. 4 stipulates the following core principles and targets: 1) efficient and sustainable use of energy resources; 2) improvements in energy conservation and energy efficiency; 3) utilization of resources with due consideration of technological, ecological and environmental conditions; 4) developing a coordinated approach to conducting activities on energy conservation. ---- Provisions of the Federal Law shall be applicable to the use of water resources for hydropower generation and water supply through centralized water supply systems.