For many residents of Pontevedra, seeing workers repairing the streetlights will become a common sight in the coming months. The city has kicked off an ambitious renovation of its public lighting system, which aims not only to improve the appearance of the streets, but also to do so with a technology capable of lasting a quarter of a century without messing up your hair and with minimal consumption.
This project, which recently began in key locations such as the Glorieta de Compostela, will extend throughout much of the city center and neighborhoods like A Parda and O Gorgullón. The goal is to replace more than 2.300 old streetlights with state-of-the-art ones that, according to technicians, have a estimated useful life of 100.000 hoursThis means that, if everything goes smoothly, they won't need to be touched again for about 25 years, a radical change compared to sodium lamps that needed replacing every so often.
A renovated infrastructure to improve safety
It's not simply a matter of removing one light bulb and screwing in another, as the project involves a complete overhaul of the electrical grid. The investment, which is around 2,3 million euros, includes the update of dozens of dashboards and the replacement of kilometers of cabling that were showing their age. In addition, the work is being used as an opportunity to carry out maintenance on the poles and columns, ensuring that the city's aesthetics are enhanced while the system's functionality is improved.
One of the areas where the improvement will be most noticeable, beyond the sheer cost savings, is in citizen safety. Special emphasis has been placed on improve the lighting of pedestrian crossings in the busiest areas, ensuring optimal visibility for drivers. The chosen light has a neutral and warm tone, which avoids the cold feeling of early LEDs and helps to... light pollution will be much lower, directing the light exactly where it is needed: the ground and the sidewalks.
Economic savings and commitment to the environment
What is most striking is the long-term relief this measure will bring to municipal coffers. It is estimated that energy consumption will drop drastically, allowing for a savings on the electricity bill of close to 78% Compared to current systems, this represents a significant amount of money that will no longer be spent on electricity and can be invested in other local needs. Furthermore, from an environmental perspective, the change will prevent the emission of hundreds of tons of CO2 per year, thus meeting European sustainability goals.
This rollout has been made possible thanks to institutional collaboration, demonstrating that it is viable to carry out large-scale projects for citizens when efficiency is the priority. With this phase completed, Pontevedra will now have the 83% of its lighting network adapted to LEDOnly a few very specific rural areas and the historic center remain to be addressed, the latter requiring a more artistic and deliberate approach. This is a step forward in modernizing the urban landscape and adapting it to current demands for responsible consumption.
The commitment to these luminaires that maintain a flawless performance after decades of use This provides a break for the maintenance department and a guarantee for the city's future. Ultimately, the goal is for Pontevedra to not only shine brighter at night, but to do so in a smart way, safe for pedestrians, and much more respectful of everyone's budget and the natural environment that surrounds us.
