Modernization of street lighting system in Yerevan will cost $6 million

Modernization of street lighting system  in Yerevan will cost $6 million, finance minister Gagik Khachatryan said at a Cabinet meeting today.

YEREVAN, October 15. / ARKA /. Modernization of street lighting system  in Yerevan will cost $6 million, finance minister Gagik Khachatryan said at a Cabinet meeting today. He said under an agreement signed with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) earlier this year the latter will provide a $4 million loan for a pilot project which will enable the capital of Armenia to modernize its street lighting system by introducing new energy-efficient technologies.

Today the government has approved a capital grant of 1.9 million euros  from the Eastern Europe Energy Efficiency and Environment Partnership. Technical cooperation for project preparation was financed by the TaiwanBusiness-EBRD Technical Cooperation Fund and the EBRD’s own resources.  

Yerevan has a population of 1.1 million. Its street lighting network consists of old, inefficient and environmentally polluting mercury-based lights. The heavy-metal based content of the current lighting system contributes to energy waste and is a considerable environmental hazard. Due to the antiquated condition of the current system and the high percentage of lights that are not working, large parts of the city are not sufficiently illuminated.

To overcome this problem the pilot project will introduce new energy-efficient LED lighting, a control and monitoring system, pole replacement and renovation as well as power cable replacement. This will result in better service quality and improved environmental standards due to reduced energy consumption and the minimization of operating and maintenance costs. Lighter streets will also be safer for pedestrians and motorists alike. -0-