14 June 2024, Valjevo – The citizens of Valjevo have received new lighting, implemented through a public-private partnership contract for the replacement, rationalization, and maintenance of the public lighting system, thereby improving the quality of public lighting and significantly saving electricity.

The project was executed in collaboration with a consortium consisting of Smart Energy Investment Belgrade and PLC Interenergo doo Belgrade. The private partners fully financed the project, relieving the City of Valjevo from additional financial obligations.

The total annual expenditure of the City of Valjevo for the operation of public lighting before the implementation exceeded 1.1 million euros, including electricity and maintenance costs. Through the Project of public-private partnership for the replacement, rationalization, and maintenance of the public lighting system, the City of Valjevo will achieve annual savings of nearly 120,000 euros, amounting to approximately 1.8 million euros over the 15-year project period. This represents a significant financial benefit for the City.

The implementation of the PPP public lighting project will reduce annual electricity consumption by more than 4.5 million kWh, totaling nearly 70 million kWh over 15 years. Additionally, CO2 emissions are estimated to be reduced by about 5.1 thousand tons annually, or approximately 76 thousand tons over 15 years.

More than 11,000 luminaires and spotlights, as well as 225 systems for switching the lighting on and off, have been installed. Besides the financial and environmental benefits, the average illumination is now 202% better in the City of Valjevo.

Due to its characteristics, the project of public lighting in the City of Valjevo was presented at the recently held World Forum on Public-Private Partnerships in Istanbul, organized by UNECE, as an example of good practice and alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals of public-private partnership projects.