Lower costs to light up Singapore roads since energy market's liberalisation

Imelda Saad Channel NewsAsia 26 Apr 10;

SINGAPORE: The annual energy cost to light up roads around Singapore has progressively gone down since the freeing up of the energy market in 2003.

Addressing a question in Parliament on the annual energy consumption cost of street lamps, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the Transport Ministry Teo Ser Luck said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has been able to secure a lower off peak rate through an open tender process.

In the past three fiscal years, the annual energy cost was S$15.9 million for FY07, S$20.3 million for FY08 and S$14.8 million for FY09.

Mr Teo said the LTA will progressively install more high energy efficient street lamps.

About 8,000 of such street lamps have been installed, saving more than S$1 million in energy a year.

On whether the ministry will consider switching off alternate lights along certain stretches of roads, Mr Teo said studies have found that doing so may result in dark bends, therefore affecting driver safety.

- CNA/yb