To arrest the burgeoning expenditure on streetlights, the Mysore City Corporation (MCC) has embarked on a project to switch over to energy-saver light emitting diode (LED) lamps. In the first phase, 520 LED lamps of two wattages will replace an equal number of existing lamps here at an estimated cost of Rs 40 lakh.
The works that were launched nearly a month ago has been already complete in 40 wards, Executive Engineer of the MCC Krishna Bhovi told Deccan Herald.
There are close to 70,000 streetlights kept on for 11 hours from dusk to dawn using 6,000 KW of power, costing the MCC a monthly bill in the range of Rs 90 lakh to Rs one crore.
The lamps comprise both sodium vapour bulbs of 250 watts and tubelights of 80 watts, which will be replaced by LED bulbs of 72 watts and 24 watts respectively. Six 24 watt bulbs and two 72 watt bulbs — total eight — will be installed in each of the 65 wards. Power consumed by four sodium lamps can be supplied to 14 LED bulbs, ensuring more lux, using less quantity of power.
After installing the aforementioned type of bulbs, consumption of power could be reduced by two to three per cent, Krishna Bhovi added.
Streetlights are switched on depending on the season. As the days are longer during summer, lights are operated by 7 pm, helping the MCC to save power to an extent. During winter, owing to early sunset, the timing is advanced by an hour.
To maintain the system of switching on and off the lights, the civic body has entrusted 2,340 on and off points to dedicated men in the ratio of 1:30.
DH News Service