Lithuanian cities are looking for ways to save electricity – parks and squares are dim, and other municipalities limit the charging time of electric cars, writes LRT.
In Klaipėda, the lighting of many bicycle paths is turned off from midnight to five in the morning. Every second streetlight will be turned off in city parks, and lights will generally be turned off a little earlier and back on a little later. Thus, the municipality of Klaipėda hopes to save approximately 4,000 euros per month.
Klaipėda’s electricity costs for lighting and electric car charging stations this year are estimated at around two million euros, and the bill could be twice as large next year. About a fifth of this amount refers to electric car charging stations. Up until now, electric cars could be charged in them for up to four hours, but from December, the charging time has been reduced to one hour.
The municipality is also considering the possibility of demanding payment for charging at public stations after May 2023. For economic purposes, employees of municipal institutions will work remotely on Mondays and Fridays.
Kaunas has been thinking about energy-saving measures since 2017 when it started switching to energy-efficient light bulbs. In cemeteries, the lighting is turned off at night, and the churches are also no longer illuminated.
In Vilnius, the austerity regime has been in effect since June, and the city aims to save a million euros.
Lithuanian cities are trying to switch to energy-efficient street lighting and are asking their institutions to save electricity. Although there are residents who complain about dark streets, officials say the crime rate and the number of traffic accidents have not increased.
Read also: Lithuania prepares for Christmas: Fewer Christmas lights, more tourists