The Manx Electricity Authority has installed its first major LED Street lighting scheme on behalf of Braddan Commissioners, which will help them conserve energy and save money.

The 12 LED lights have been placed in Snugborough Trading Estate, Union Mills, and it’s estimated by the suppliers that they could save the Commissioners around 50% on energy costs compared with traditional lamps.

The LED lights which were chosen are from the Urbis Claro range which provides an equivalent level of light output to a standard 100 watt lamp whilst consuming significantly less energy, keeping streets lit to the required standard.

LED lighting has a reported longer lifetime of typically 10-15 years based on usage, which is six times the life of current technologies, which means that LED’s require less maintenance.

An MEA spokesperson added: ‘This is the first LED scheme we have designed “from the ground up”, using the appropriate column heights and spacing to achieve lighting uniformity and confirming with the relevant standards. We have installed other LED lighting around the Island, but this has been carried out on a trial basis to replace individual fittings as and where required.’

The MEA will look to utilise further LED Street lighting schemes as and when the opportunity arises.

Braddan Commissioners Chairman, Margaret Hodge said: The MEA were aware of our desire to use LED lighting wherever practical, and we were delighted to take the opportunity to install these lights in Snugborough Trading Estate.  There are long term financial gains to be made through low running and maintenance costs, and the Commissioners see the reduction in light pollution to surrounding areas as a very positive step. We were happy to work with the MEA on this LED scheme, one which will hopefully be the first of many.’