74,000 new LEDs for Chennai streets

Chennai: Buoyed by the success of installing solar panels with a capacity of 85-kilo watt and by reducing the electricity bills by Rs 1.5 crore per month, the Chennai corporation has now intensified its renewable energy campaign.

“The corporation planned to install roof top solar panels in 77 buildings by 2016. Of this, power generation has started in 36 buildings and another 15 buildings are ready for installation and by next year the remaining buildings will get the solar panels making the total installed capacity to 168 KW,” a senior corporation official said.

As part of our energy saving policy, the civic body had also finalised the second phase of streetlight extension at an estimate of '145 crore and this phase will see the installation of 74,000 new LED streetlights mostly in extended areas.

Of the total, 2.57 lakh streetlight network, 70 per cent has been converted from sodium vapour lamp to LEDs and the balance will be converted by 2018 and for this Rs 87 crore had been availed as a loan from Tamil Nadu Urban Development Fund, the official said adding that in the past three years the civic body has converted 1.70 lakh street lights into LED fitted lamp posts saving Rs 18 crore annually on power consumption charges.

With new green building concepts and power saving electrical appliances coming in, the corporation will save more power. Even the restoration of Ripon Buildings, the city civic headquarters ensures that natural light is allowed to permit through the building, so that tube lights are not used in the portico and the corridor of the historic building.

Similarly the annexe Amma building has been aesthetically designed with glass to reduce the usage of lights and to ensure that there is infiltration of heat, sources said.

The corporation has replaced LED bulbs in the bus route roads and in the main roads, still there are interior roads awaiting street lights and areas like Otteri, Choolai and Pattalam require more streetlights due to vehicle and population influx, said civic activist D. Mani of Ayanavaram.