It was decided by local authorities and the Electricity Authority, after years of reflection and discussion that they can not change the rotation of the Earth around the Sun, so now they are looking for another solution. The reason for the street lighting throughout Cyprus and the hours when it lights up at night and goes out in the morning. It is known that every new day the sun rises and sets at a different time.
This causes chronic problems with when the street lights will turn on and off, especially during the autumn months, with many complaints that in the morning and early afternoon the citizens move in the dark. Among other problems, it is particularly important that due to the darkness drivers, especially in residential areas, do not see pedestrians.
The issue has been discussed for years between local authorities, the Police and the EAC, since the switches on when the switches on and off the lights in an array of electric poles are turned on by the EAC. But the bills are paid by the local authorities. So it is up to them how many hours the street lights will be on, so when they turn on and when the lights go out.
The EAC, for its part, states that it is unable to implement a separate program and schedule for each period for when the lights go on and off, since, for example, a medium-sized community and population may have 40-50 street light switches. while the whole of Cyprus a few thousand switches, which are in fact grouped. So setting the time for street lighting to turn on and off for a period of a few weeks at the request of one community or municipality may not be acceptable to another connected or affected by electricity bills community or Municipality.
For this reason and after contacts with the president of the Union of Municipalities, the EAC sent a letter - a similar one was sent to the Union of Communities - proposing that municipalities and communities be grouped in relation to the hours when the street lights are on and off, so have the ability to change depending on the time period the hours that the street lighting operates. For example, the grouping could be done by province or by a wider geographical area.
Asked about this by "F", the spokesperson of the EAC Christina Papadopoulou, confirmed that relevant letters were sent to the Union of Municipalities and the Union of Communities and answers are expected, since the EAC often receives many complaints on the same issue, especially in relation to road security but also the sense of security of the citizens.
However, the question remains unanswered, why is not a system of modern light sensors promoted in every street light switch, which are adjusted to turn on as soon as the natural light goes down and go out as soon as the sun rises again based on natural light again. This would ensure year-round lighting when needed, as otherwise, the sun rises every day either later or earlier than the day before.
Source: Liberal