LED there be light, says BBMP to save power
This large-scale transition to LED street lighting is expected to bring significant financial and environmental benefits, easing the city's power burden and ensuring better-maintained, smarter public lighting
BBMP Official
By replacing traditional sodium street lights with energy-efficient LED lights, BBMP is set to save hundreds of crores in annual electricity costs, reducing power consumption by over 85% and significantly cutting its `380 crore yearly electricity bill. Bengaluru is set to phase out traditional sodium street lights and replace them with LED lights, marking the start of a long-awaited, ambitious project aimed at saving hundreds of crores annually in electricity costs. After six years of planning, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is finally implementing the initiative to cut energy expenses by removing conventional street lights and installing energy-efficient LEDs.A BBMP official said, 'The BBMP had commissioned a private company to conduct surveys across seven out of eight BBMP zones (excluding Mahadevapura) to assess the feasibility, cost, energy savings, and financial model for this transition. Based on the survey report, the zones were divided into four packages, tenders finalised, and contracts awarded, with LED installations set to begin from June.'Currently, Bengaluru has about 5,37,000 street lights consuming over 51.5 crore units of electricity annually, costing the BBMP approximately `380 crore every year, including a `330 crore electricity bill paid to BESCOM. The recent electricity tariff hike has further escalated costs. With 40% of the city's street lights already converted to LEDs through BBMP grants and support from local MLAs and corporators, approximately 2 lakh LED street lights are already in place. However, many of these LEDs have exceeded their warranty periods, transferring maintenance responsibilities to contractors.The new contracts require companies to maintain and operate the LED street lights for seven years, with BBMP making monthly payments totalling `700 crore over the contract period. Besides street lights, the project includes installation of CCTV cameras, pollution sensors, and motion detectors on electric poles. Each streetlight will be equipped with a motion sensor and linked to a centralised control system that monitors and adjusts brightness remotely, targeting an estimated 85.5% reduction in energy consumption. The savings will help BBMP cover electricity bills and contractor payments.In past attempts, a contract awarded in 2018 to a consortium led by Shapoorji Pallonji was cancelled due to delays in LED installation. The project has now been restructured into four packages covering seven zones, with new tenders completed and contracts issued. The centralised monitoring system will instantly detect faults and allow remote control of lighting intensity, ensuring efficient management of street lights across the city. A BBMP official added, 'This large-scale transition to LED street lighting is expected to bring significant financial and environmental benefits, easing the city's power burden and ensuring better-maintained, smarter public lighting.'
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