Saint Lucia to install 17,000 LED bulbs by March end

Castries: Saint Lucia is looking forward to install nearly 17,000 LED bulbs by the end of the March 2024 to tackle the global climate crisis by pursuing greener and cleaner energy solutions.

It is to be noted that the government of Saint Lucia is already benefiting from the savings as they save $10,404.84 daily, $312,145.10 monthly and $4.5 million annually since the project of LED replacements came into force.

Notably, the government of Saint Lucia took to their official social media handle (Facebook) to share this update.

Further, the transition from high-pressure sodium bulbs to LEDs will foster Saint Lucia’s goal of reducing carbon emissions and saving the government millions in electricity costs.

The government is taking a step forward to replace high-pressure sodium bulbs with energy-efficient LEDs. To date, the government has removed more than 20,000 high-pressure sodium bulbs from the street lamps throughout the island.

Shane Jean, the Chief Electrical Engineer, touts the benefits of the LED transition. He stated. “Street lighting consumes about 10 per cent (10%) of the electricity that is produced. The transition to LEDs translates to savings. There are close to 23,000 streetlights in Saint Lucia. At the end of December, we had changed about 14,000 lights, and we saw a reduction of over $350,000 on the monthly electrical bill- about 60 per cent in savings.”

Additionally, from August to December 2023, the government of Saint Lucia installed more than 14,000 light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs around the island.

Moreover, before December 2023, the government’s street lighting bill ranged from $6 to $8 million every year. The government will redirect these cost savings to improve the security of their citizens, and more emphasis will be placed on road safety.

It is to be added in the remarks of the Government of Saint Lucia that the funds will be used to procure and install over 200 CCTV cameras on utility poles across the country.

Saint Lucia is boldly playing its part in dealing with the global climate crisis through such initiatives.