The paper is devoted to the study of the legal nature of public interests in general and in the energy sector in particular. In the course of the research, public interest is examined in relation to adjacent legal categories — societal interest and private interest. It is established that public interest reflects the functions of the state and is aimed at meeting the needs of society. At the same time, the interest of any economic entity lies in the efficient use of available resources. Based on the analysis of energy laws, it is determined that public interest in the energy sector is reflected in the principles of energy law. As a result of the conducted research, the author not only distinguished between the adjacent legal categories, but also determined that in the energy sector, the balance of private and public interests is ensured through restrictive legal means and legal techniques.