GAM to switch to energy-saving light bulbs in street lighting

AMMAN — The Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) is planning to retrofit the capital’s street lights with energy-saving bulbs to cut electricity usage by half, a GAM official said on Tuesday.

This year, GAM will start converting street lamps along major streets to energy-saving technologies, including light-emitting diode (LED) and solar powered lights, said Ayman Smadi, GAM transport and traffic executive director.

“The project is part of the municipality’s shift to sustainable development and seeks to turn Amman into an environment-friendly city. The annual budget for lighting the capital’s streets is JD10 million; the project’s savings will be 50 per cent of the bill,” Smadi underscored.

LEDs cost three to four times more up front than traditional high-pressure streetlamps, but they last three to four times longer and produce two to three times more light per watt, delivering anywhere from 30-70 per cent in annual electricity savings, according to Forbes website, which also indicated that 40 per cent of the average city’s electric bill goes to street lighting, and close to half of that is wasted.

GAM announced the project in advertisements published in newspapers on Tuesday, seeking a private sector partner to supply, operate, maintain and manage the project’s first phase, which includes converting 25,000 light fixtures under the municipality’s supervision.

The proposed plan will provide GAM with maximum energy savings, while ensuring adequate light intensity as well as functionality and sustainability, according to Smadi.

GAM called on qualified firms to submit their expressions of interest before March 16.