GEORGE TOWN, July 11 — Penang is targeting to be Malaysia’s first state to use energy-efficient lamps for all street lighting by next year at a cost of about RM75 million, state exco Jagdeep Singh Deo said today.

The local government, housing development and town and country planning committee chairman said the complete change to low-consumption LED lights by 2020 was also part of the state’s environmental agenda.

”The state will be spending about RM40 million to replace 17,542 existing street lights on the island to LED lights by 2020,” he said.

Over in Seberang Perai, a total 14,054 existing lamps will be refitted for an estimated RM35 million, he added.

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Penang has 105,813 street lights in total, with 34,104 on the island and the rest on the mainland.

Of these, 31,596 lights are maintained by the two local councils while 74,217 lights are managed under Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB).

Jagdeep said TNB is also in the process of replacing all street lights under it to LED lights in stages, and will fund the upgrade.

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“We are also working on our public facilities to be solar powered as part of our green agenda to reduce our carbon footprint,” he said while officiating the completion of the first phase of the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) converting public lighting to LED lights.

He also disclosed that TNB signed a supply agreement for renewable energy with Seberang Perai Municipal Council (MPSP) in May to install solar panels on public buildings to generate renewable solar energy.

“MPSP has identified 31 buildings to instal solar panels and TNB has agreed to install solar panels on three buildings, the MPSP branch in Jalan Betik, Sports Complex in Jalan Betik and Bertam Sports Complex,” he said.

He said MBPP has also identified 15 public buildings for TNB to install solar panels and these are under consideration by TNB.

The installation of solar panels on the first three buildings in Seberang Perai will be completed by October this year, he said.