PEA plans upgrade of roadway, public lighting

The PEA will soon issue terms of reference (TOR) for the tender. The investment is aimed at saving energy by replacing old lighting and related equipment along the roads under the Department of Highways, the Department of Rural Roads, and tambon administrative organisations and municipalities. The new lighting will be based on LED (light-emitting diode) technology.
PEA governor Numchai Lorwattanatrakul said yesterday that the authority had to take responsibility for the cost of electricity for public services, which runs to Bt6 billion per year.
“The plan to change this equipment will allow us to use lighting products for longer periods and will save Bt3 billion per year,” Numchai said.
The project will be divided into two parts. The first will change 400,000 fixtures along the roads nationwide within four years, costing about Bt8 billion. The second part of the project will upgrade 3 million lighting fixtures in public areas of municipalities and tambon, worth between Bt4 billion and Bt5 billion.
The TOR will be released in the new year. So far, more than 10 manufacturers of LED lighting are qualified to join the bidding.
Numchai said the PEA had launched a pilot energy-saving project by signing an agreement with LED manufacturers to change 5,000 light fixtures at the authority’s head office in Bangkok, worth Bt3.4 million.
This upgrade will reduce the annual electricity cost by 407,652 units worth Bt1.5 million.
By 2014, all 900 PEA offices nationwide will receive a similar upgrade, totalling 200,000 fixtures at a cost of Bt145 million.
Pakorn Borimasporn, chief executive officer of Lighting and Equipment, said the company planned to invest Bt500 million to set up a new LED factory, to be completed by 2014. The new plant will allow the company to bid for the PEA project.
If the bid is successful, the company will be able to double its sales revenue to between Bt4 billion and Bt5 billion by 2015 from the current annual level of more than Bt2 billion, Pakorn said.