KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS)–Jamaica Public Service (JPS) is partnering with the Caribbean Maritime Institute (CMI), to replace 200 streetlights along the Palisadoes Road in Kingston with light emitting diode (LED) technology.

The $5.17-million project, which will involve retrofitting the existing High Pressure Sodium (HPS) lamps, is the first phase of an energy efficiency programme being undertaken in the area.  

It follows the successful completion of a pilot, which resulted in the installation of 30 retrofitted LED streetlights along the Palisadoes roadway.

At the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the works, held on Friday (August 8) at the JPS Sports Club in Kingston, Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Phillip Paulwell, endorsed the project.

He noted that during the pilot phase, significant savings in energy consumption were realised.

“The Government of Jamaica spends about $14 billion per annum on electricity bills, and a significant component of that is the streetlight bill. We are currently in the region of $3 billion or so, and we were able, with that demonstration, using Jamaican labour, to reduce the use of electricity (in the pilot area) by 50 per cent,” he said.

Paulwell noted that a critical part of the project’s next stage is  development of smart street lighting technology, which includes the use of broadband communication and Global Positioning System (GPS) to reduce the likelihood of streetlight theft.

“So, those persons, who are into stealing our lamps, be careful, because we are going to be able to follow you where you go and to catch you,” he warned.

President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), JPS, Kelly Tomblin, said the project is designed “to lead an energy revolution that is going to further Jamaica’s growth and prosperity. 

The CMI developed the technology for the project and the institution’s Executive Director, Dr Fritz Pinnock, said the initiative involves 30 per cent local input including students and staff of the CMI. 

Residents from several surrounding communities will also be employed during the assembly of the retrofitted streetlights.

Pinnock noted that the CMI has already trained over 50 persons across Jamaica in the assembly and installation of streetlights.

The project involves three primary phases: the relocation of pole lines; retrofitting of 200 existing HPS type streetlights with energy efficient LED ones; and installation of 130 retrofitted LED streetlights along the Palisadoes Road from the Harbour View round-about to Port Royal, and 70 within the community of Rockfort.