State Housing and Local Government Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo said the installation would be completed by 2020.
He said such lights would reduce the councils’ power bills by almost 60%.
“You can see the positives that can come from installing energy-saving LED street lights,” Jagdeep said today.
Last year, the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) spent close to RM6 million on street lighting while the Seberang Perai Municipal Council (MPSP) spent nearly RM7 million.
Street lights in Penang are installed and maintained by MBPP and MPSP, as well as Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB).
Currently, MBPP maintains over 16,000 street lamps on the island. So far, 7,135 have been replaced with energy-saving LED lights. Another 9,501 street lamps will be replaced by May next year.
As for the mainland, the MPSP, beginning this month, will begin replacing 12,376 street lamps with energy-saving LED lights, which will be fully completed by 2020.
Jagdeep said TNB was initially resistant but, following a change in the country’s government, it was now ready to cooperate with the state government “to realise our wish for all the street lamps to be changed to LED”.
“I was told of the good news this morning. TNB has expressed its commitment to replace 3,450 lamps with LED lights on the island by this year, and another 8,280 street lamps next year.
“In 2020, 4,832 street lamps will see the shift to LED. So, a total of 16,562 street lamps maintained by TNB on the island will be changed to LED,” he said.
As a result, he said, a total of 33,198 street lamps on the island would be changed to LED ones – not just the 20,000 the state had promised in its 14th general election manifesto.
“That is what will happen. We are on track to fulfil that promise. And that is just the island.
“On the mainland, MPSP maintains 12,376 street lamps while TNB maintains the lion’s share of over 45,000 street lamps.
“If TNB agrees on the mainland side, close to 58,000 street lamps there will be replaced as well,” he said.
Jagdeep said he had given instructions for the necessary action to be taken to ensure that Penang is the first state in the country to have all street lamps LED-powered.