The Hindu 28.05.2010
Solar street-lighting for Jakkampudi township
K.N. Murali Sankar
VIJAYAWADA: The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) is planning to use street-lighting powered by solar energy at Jakkampudi Township on the city outskirts, where a township with 8,000 houses is being constructed under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). Once the project materialises, the township is going to be the first one in the State to have such a facility.
The township consisting of 14 km-long roads, on which, it is estimated, that 775 streetlights are required. The entire project cost is estimated at Rs. 3 crore, in which the Ministry of Non-conventional Energy Sources (MNES) has come forward to offer a direct subsidy of Rs. 1.25 crore. The remaining amount, however, to be allocated by the civic body from the JNNURM funds. Tenders have been called for and pre-bid meetings are going on with regard to the street-lighting project. The plan is to replace the conventional tube lights and chokes with the LED (light-emitting diode) of the capacity of 15 watt. Each conventional tubelight requires 40 watts and another 12 watts for the choke, whereas each LED requires only 15 watt capacity. Life of the lamp is another advantage with the LED, as compared to the conventional mode of street lighting. The LED’s lifespan of 50,000 hours is 10 times that of the conventional tubelight.
In the new mode of street-lighting, each streetlight will be considered a unit that consisting of pole-mounted solar photovoltaic panel and battery. The MNRE has issued guidelines with regard to the installation and maintenance of the units. The firm that installs the lights must take up the responsibility of maintenance for a period of five years and assure the replacement of battery wherever it is needed. The firm must also take up the responsibility of cleaning the panels periodically.
Tender documents have been submitted by five firms so far and periodical meetings are going on to finalise the technicalities.
