Powerful idea! Ten LED bulbs per family

Bengaluru: Can power cuts be a thing of the past with this glowing idea from energy minister D.K. Shivakumar?

Beginning January 2016, the state government plans to save electricity by encouraging every household, local bodies and corporations to use LED bulbs — six crores in all — worth Rs 600 crores. With the support of Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a Union government entity, the state government would provide these bulbs at a subsidized rate—below Rs 100 each, Mr Shivakumar told the media after a meeting with representatives of LED bulbs manufacturing firms.

He said if successful, this venture would help save 800 to 100 MW a day while individual electricity bills would dip by half. ESCOMs of respective divisions would take up the responsibility of installing these bulbs in all houses and deduct the cost in installments.

They would offer three year warranty for bulbs installed in individual homes, and a seven year warranty for those used by local bodies, he said adding EESL would offer technical, financial and project implementation support for the scheme. This novel method was successfully implemented in few cities and therefore EESL was eager to make it successful in Karnataka.

He said the government would soon call representatives of local bodies and convince them to install LED bulbs at a cost of Rs 2,000 crores.

The state government, however, has not made any arrangements for disposal of e-waste like ordinary bulbs once households accept the idea of installing LED bulbs, the minister added.

The light bulb moment!

According to energy minister, the venture, which will cost the state government over Rs 600 crore would help save 800 to 100 MW a day while individual electricity bills would dip by half.