The Bermuda Electric Light Company has been awarded a $4.5 million government contract to replace the street lights throughout Bermuda with light-emitting diodes, or LED, luminaires.

The contract was announced in Tuesday’s Royal Gazette. Among the advantages of LEDs are lower energy consumption and a longer lifetime.

A government spokesman explained the Island-wide initiative, which was contracted to Belco by the Ministry of Public Works, will replace approximately 4000 high pressure sodium street lights with LED luminaires, which includes all the lights they maintain.

The street light replacement project does not include the lights maintained by Wedco. The spokesperson said: “In December 2013 a pilot study of LED lighting was carried out on Trimingham Road between the two roundabouts. This involved 14 LED luminaires which also featured wireless control communication.

“This pilot study demonstrated the performance of this technology in the local environment

She explained: “Basically LEDs offer significantly reduced energy consumption — figures around 50 per cent are realistic — which means reduced energy cost. Also, (they mean) reduced environmental emissions, reduced maintenance costs and improved lighting levels.”