With an aim to reduce power consumption and cut down the electricity bill by at least 35 per cent every month, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to opt for energy efficient street lighting. The project will be executed in the public-private partnership (PPP) mode. BMC stipulates that company should have capacity to reduce the power bill by 35 per cent.

Four private firms have applied for the technical bid, out of which two were disqualified. The proposal offered by the remaining two bidders will be forwarded. BMC officials said the two firms have offered bill reduction higher than 35 per cent. The firm that will offer maximum reduction in the electricity bill will be awarded the project.

“The roped in firm will first evaluate the street lighting of the City and then before stepping up, illumination requirements of a particular area will be studied properly,” said BMC City Engineer TBK Shroff.

Over 30,000 street lights are in the city for which the BMC is currently shelling out ` 70 lakhs as electricity bill every month. BMC is targeting to make 20,000 street lights energy efficient in first phase.  Under the project, dimmers will be installed which will reduce the intensity of illumination according to the availability of lights. Timers will be set up so that the lights will be switched off automatically at a specific time. Replacement of transformers and reworking of cable wires will also be undertaken.

If 20,000 street lights are successfully converted for energy efficient lighting, the work for rest 10,000 lights will be taken up.