Replacement of 21 lakh conventional street lights with LEDs has resulted in annual energy savings of 295 million unit and reduction of 2.3 lakh tonnes of CO2 annually.

Under the government's Street Lighting National Programme (SLNP), over 21 lakh conventional street lights have been replaced with LED across the country, the power ministry said in a statement.

According to the statement, the newly installed lights have led to brighter streets, a feeling of enhanced safety and security among residents and motorists.

The state-run Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) is the implementing agency for the SLNP.

The ministry said the installation of LED street lights has resulted in annual energy savings of 295 million unit, avoided capacity of over 73 mw and reduction of 2.3 lakh tonnes of CO2 annually.

The project has been implemented across 23 states and union territories. The lighting level on roads has increased significantly after the replacement.

Rajasthan has replaced 7.04 lakh conventional lights with LEDs followed by Andhra Pradesh (5.86 lakh) and Delhi (2.64 lakh).

EESL is also implementing a special heritage lighting project under which 1,000 LED street lights have been put up in the Kashi region of Uttar Pradesh, and another 4,000 lights are being installed.

The procurement price of the LED Street Lights has been reduced from Rs 135/watt to Rs 80/watt due to mass procurement.

EESL makes the entire upfront investment in installation of the street lights and no additional budget allocation from the municipalities is required.

The municipalities pay EESL from the savings in energy and maintenance cost over 7 years, making the LED lights affordable and accessible. EESL also undertakes social audits in all states post completion of the project.

The EESL procurements conform to BIS specification and carry a 7-year warranty against technical defects. The entity conducts appropriate quality checks right from the bidding stage to the field level.

This has resulted in overall technical fault being less than 1 per cent in 21 lakh such lights installed by EESL in the country.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the national programme on January 5, 2015 with an aim to convert conventional street and domestic lights with energy efficient LED ones.

Under the SLNP, the government looks to replace 1.34 crore conventional street lights.

(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)