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Energy saver
Published: Monday | July 25, 2011
Kern Spencer
Cuban light-bulb programme cuts billions off power bill
While the country remains glued to the courtroom drama surrounding former junior minister Kern Spencer and his personal assistant, Coleen Wright, who are facing charges related to the distribution of the bulbs, the energy ministry is admitting that the programme has saved the country large sums.
Figures supplied to The Gleaner by the energy ministry, under the Access to Information Act, show that Jamaica could save more than US$9 million annually, based on the latest distribution of the bulbs between March and June this year.
The energy ministry is yet to provide data on the savings from the initial implementation of the programme which started in 2006, but its figures show that despite the controversy, the programme remains a valuable one for Jamaica.
Ministry report
According to a report provided by the ministry, just over 151,000 energy-saving bulbs were distributed in five Corporate Area constituencies and St Thomas under the sixth stage of the programme conducted from March 22 to June 20 of this year.
These replaced 147,278 incandescent bulbs which were collected from homeowners and business operators.
The energy ministry said, based on its calculations, the sixth stage of the programme realised fuel savings of US$3.25 million, but that figure could be greater based on the increase in the price of oil on the world market.
When savings from the avoided investment in generating capacity and avoided fuel consumption are added, the ministry estimates the saving increases to US$9.45 million annually. This excludes possible earnings for Jamaica from carbon credits.
The Cuban light-bulb programme was introduced in 2006 as part of efforts to cut the country's oil bill by replacing just over 3.1 million incandescent bulbs with energy-saving bulbs provided by the government of Cuba.
Under the first and second phases of the programme between February and May 2006, 73,026 incandescent bulbs were replaced by an equal number of energy-saving bulbs in 12,867 houses.
The third stage of the programme occurred from July to September 2006 with 517,417 energy-saving bulbs installed.
Project put on hold
The fifth and sixth stages of the programme were conducted in early 2007 with 2.8 million energy-saving bulbs installed in 543,000 houses in 55 of the country's 60 constituencies.
But the project was put on hold after questions were asked about corruption and cronyism in the process.
Following investigations by the police, Spencer, the former state minister in the ministry of energy under the People's National Party government, his personal assistant, Wright, and businessman Rodney Chin, were charged.
Chin was later cleared of all charges by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, while Spencer and Wright remain before the courts.
arthur.hall@gleanerjm.com
Published: Monday | July 25, 2011
Kern Spencer
Cuban light-bulb programme cuts billions off power bill
- Arthur Hall, Senior Staff Reporter
While the country remains glued to the courtroom drama surrounding former junior minister Kern Spencer and his personal assistant, Coleen Wright, who are facing charges related to the distribution of the bulbs, the energy ministry is admitting that the programme has saved the country large sums.
Figures supplied to The Gleaner by the energy ministry, under the Access to Information Act, show that Jamaica could save more than US$9 million annually, based on the latest distribution of the bulbs between March and June this year.
The energy ministry is yet to provide data on the savings from the initial implementation of the programme which started in 2006, but its figures show that despite the controversy, the programme remains a valuable one for Jamaica.
Ministry report
According to a report provided by the ministry, just over 151,000 energy-saving bulbs were distributed in five Corporate Area constituencies and St Thomas under the sixth stage of the programme conducted from March 22 to June 20 of this year.
These replaced 147,278 incandescent bulbs which were collected from homeowners and business operators.
The energy ministry said, based on its calculations, the sixth stage of the programme realised fuel savings of US$3.25 million, but that figure could be greater based on the increase in the price of oil on the world market.
When savings from the avoided investment in generating capacity and avoided fuel consumption are added, the ministry estimates the saving increases to US$9.45 million annually. This excludes possible earnings for Jamaica from carbon credits.
The Cuban light-bulb programme was introduced in 2006 as part of efforts to cut the country's oil bill by replacing just over 3.1 million incandescent bulbs with energy-saving bulbs provided by the government of Cuba.
Under the first and second phases of the programme between February and May 2006, 73,026 incandescent bulbs were replaced by an equal number of energy-saving bulbs in 12,867 houses.
The third stage of the programme occurred from July to September 2006 with 517,417 energy-saving bulbs installed.
Project put on hold
The fifth and sixth stages of the programme were conducted in early 2007 with 2.8 million energy-saving bulbs installed in 543,000 houses in 55 of the country's 60 constituencies.
But the project was put on hold after questions were asked about corruption and cronyism in the process.
Following investigations by the police, Spencer, the former state minister in the ministry of energy under the People's National Party government, his personal assistant, Wright, and businessman Rodney Chin, were charged.
Chin was later cleared of all charges by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, while Spencer and Wright remain before the courts.
arthur.hall@gleanerjm.com
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