The Utility Regulatory Authority is an executive body established by His Excellency President HE Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on 13 December 2020, under Law No. 26/2020 (Utility Regulatory Authority Act) to regulate public utility services such as water, sewerage, electricity and waste management, under one roof.

With the establishment of Utility Regulatory Authority, the functions of utility regulation, which were previously carried out by individual agencies, were transferred to this Authority. Therefore, the Maldives Energy Authority was abolished and the tasks of regulating electricity services were handed over to this authority. Similarly, the regulatory responsibilities of water, sewerage and waste management services carried out by The Environmental Protection Agency were devolved to Utility Regulatory Authority.

The services currently provided by the Authority are as follows.

1. Issuance of operating licenses to public utility service providers
2. Permitting public utility services used by industrial workers
3. Provision of license to electrical workers
4. Provision of license to energy auditors
5. Registration of property and facilities related to public utility services
6. Approval of proposed designs for public utility services
7. Reviewing and decision making on proposals for customs duty exemption in respect to public utility services
8. Issuance of permits required in respect of public utility services
9. Approval of power system 
10. Approval of power cables
11. Approval of power panels
12. Approval of transformers
13. Issuance of dewatering permits
14. Issuance of waste management permits
15. Performing all duties related to proposals submitted to the Authority regarding subsidies
16. Performing all duties related to identify the customers and set the highest price for public utility services
17. Investigating and action-taking on complaints regarding public utility services

The regulation of public utility services in the Maldives dates back to 1973, when the Maldives Water and Sanitation Authority was established by Presidential Decree and entrusted with the mandate to regulate the provision of water and sewerage services in the country. In 2008, an executive body under the name of Environmental Protection Agency was established under a presidential decree to regulate all environmental matters. Additionally, the Environmental Protection Agency was given the responsibility of regulating waste management services as public services.

In 2006, the Maldives Energy Authority was established by a presidential decree and entrusted with the mandate to regulate the provision of all electricity services in the country as a public utility service.