The experts propose to tender separately the lighting and traffic lights contracts to achieve more energy savings and investments

The experts of the area of ​​Engineering and Contracting of the City Council have proposed to tender separately the lighting and traffic light contracts to achieve "more energy saving, economic savings, more investments and an improvement in citizen service", as reported by the councilor of Urban Scene, José Ramón González de Zárate, who has clarified that this formula is in line with the new Contracts Law.

The experts themselves have defended this formula in the informative commission of the Internal Regime, which is a novelty since to date both services have been grouped into a single contract. Based on its proposal, two different contracts would be tendered: the one on 'Lighting and energy saving', which would be entrusted to an energy services company, and the one on 'Traffic lights, traffic and mobility'.

The councilor explained that among "the advantages" of working with "an energy services company" in relation to public lighting is the fact that the company "manages all relationships with engineers, suppliers and installers, simplifying the management" . In addition, "part of the project is financed with the savings achieved", "the problem of the priority of investments is eliminated" and "savings, energy efficiency and the modernization of facilities are promoted".

In the case of Benidorm, it is estimated that the savings could reach 175,000 euros per year. This amount that "could be reinvested in new investments that increase the savings or reduce the bill". De Zárate qualified that the experts are inclined for the first option to improve the efficiency of the public lighting network through new investments.

The person in charge of Urban Scene indicated that towns such as Alicante, Altea, Torrent or La Vila Joiosa already work with energy services companies and are obtaining "positive results". In addition, the bidding separately would, in the opinion of the experts, obtain from the companies improvements such as 24-hour maintenance of lighting and traffic lights, the burial of lines, control of shaded areas, the installation of more folding pylons, extending the traffic control center schedule and include staff with language skills.

De Zárate indicated that "the councilors of the corporation now have a period of 15 or 20 days to transfer to the technicians the suggestions or proposals that they estimate to be included in the specifications." Subsequently, "the technicians will proceed to the drafting of the specifications" so that "in August or September they can be approved in full, tender and award both contracts".

Upcoming exposition of specifications

The councilman of Urban Scene recalled that the plenary approved the creation of work committees to address the specifications of the contracts that end this year: lighting and traffic lights, street furniture, and street cleaning and waste collection. According to De Zárate, the idea of ​​the local government is "not to develop parallel committees, but rather that these matters are addressed in the informative commission of the Internal Regime, in which all the councilors of the corporation are present and in which the experts will make an exposition about the future specifications of each contract.

This round of expositions has started today with the lighting and traffic light contracts, and it is planned to do the same with the other two contracts in the first two Internal Regime commissions that are held in July.