NEW "greener" street lights will help Durham County Council slash its electric bills and help the environment. The council has completed a ten-year rolling programme of replacing almost 6,000 power- hungry mercury bulbs with high pressure sodium lights, which use less power and are brighter.
The new lamps operate at 70 watts compared with the 125 watts of the old lights and the savings in electricity consumption mean that less greenhouse gas is produced.
The light replacement programme will save the council more than £77,000 a year - equivalent to £13 each light -and council officials estimate they will recoup the costs in about six years.
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