The installation process of LED street lamps gifted by India to Maldives have begun today in Male’ City.

The lamps were gifted under an agreement signed on 17 March 2019, between the Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) of the Indian government and the Ministry of Environment of Maldives in an effort to strengthen ties in the field of renewable energy and energy efficiency in Maldives. While Maldives is to be gifted a total 2500 LED street lamps under the agreement, 500 of these lamps have now been received and the installation process has begun in the streets of Male’.

The Ministry of Environment informed that these LED lamps will be used to replace street lamps that are powered by non-LED bulbs. The LED bulbs incur lower electrical costs as well.

As such, efforts to change lightbulbs in Izzuddin Road in Male’ began today. The Minister of Environment, Dr. Hussain Shareef Hussain inaugurated the first changing of lightbulbs at Izzuddin Road today.

Speaking at the ceremony marking the inaugural installation, the Minister of Environment, Dr. Hussain Shareef Hussain said that the usage of 2500 light bulbs gifted by India, for 12 hours every day will save 480 Kilowatts of energy. He noted that this is the same amount of energy that can power 40 homes.

The Minister said in his speech that although the amount of electricity usage in Maldives is on the rise, conserving electricity is an action that should be taken, starting from individual responsibility to companies and offices. He said that with developments, come further rises in electricity usage due to devices that take ip power at most locations. He also noted the importance of using devices  that are energy efficient in an effort to combat this rise in frequent use of electricity.

In addition to the Minister of Environment Dr. Hussain Rasheed Hassan, the Ambassador of India to Maldives, Sunjay Sudhir also took part in the ceremony today.