CFL lamps a hit with TN panchayats

Several panchayats in the southern districts of Tamil Nadu have started switching over from bulbs to CFL.

Setting an example on energy conservation, several panchayats in the southern districts of Tamil Nadu have started switching over from incandescent bulbs to energy efficient Compact Fluroescent Lamps (CFL) for illumination of the streets which has helped them bring down their electricity bills considerably.

The CFL, which consume low power, is becoming a hit with panchayat after panchayat, lured by the low power bills, in districts like Sivaganga and Ramanathapuram which are bidding adieu to the good old incandescent bulbs.

“We realise the difference.. our streets are brighter and our (electricity) bills are lower,” said M.Selvam, a local body official, in this district.

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According to A.Nagaraj, a local body official, several local bodies had problems in settling the electricity bills, which accounted for nearly 70 per cent of their revenues, and the arrears to the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) mounted, prompting the government to reduce the cost of power for street lights and water supply from Rs 3.40 a unit to Rs three per unit.

“Reduction in power consumption by using CFL will be major boon for the panchayats,” he said.

The CFL works even during power fluctuations and apart from reduction in power bill, the maintenance cost was low. An employee of Nagumugundhankudi said both incandescent lamp and the sodium vapour lamps introduced subsequently were energy inefficient.

“The sodium vapour lamps had rendered and are rendering many local bodies bankrupt. In fact, after the introduction of Sodium lamps, the powerbills of many local bodies increased by 80 per cent. That is why the government has proposed to slowly withdrawing them, and replacing them with more efficient street lamps.

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Initially the incandescent lamps would be withdrawn in the rural areas, and then in town panchayats and municipalities.

An official of the Ilayangudi pancghayat, where 120 street lights had been replaced with CFLs, said the CFL work continuously even if there was power fluctuation and they got two year warranty also. “The 22 watt CFL gives more light than the 40 watt tube light. Apart from incurring expenses on replacing the tube lights frequently, we have to spend more on power consumption.”

As the light had been provided with sensors it would switch on and off by itself, and thus saved on man power also. In many panchayats, the power consumption charge had come down from Rs.10, 000 to Rs.6, 000 per month.

According to the officials of The Tamilnadu Engergy development agency and Union ministry of new and renewable agency more and more panchayats would be using CFL in the next five years.

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V Sivakumar of Alternate Energy System, a manufacturer of CFL, says people were now aware of the advantages of the CFL. Suppliers were being nominated in various zones through out the country, according to a central government official.

He, however, said the government should be cautious of inferior quality CFLs. Now the suppliers guaranteed 8000 hours of life time. But the incandescent lamps life time was only 500 hours.