Lawmakers to save power with energy-efficient bulbs in parliament
The state-controlled press and TV ran reports that lawmakers decided to make their contribution to the energy-saving campaign declared by the president. They proposed to change ordinary bulbs with power-saving alternatives on the huge star-like chandelier in the parliament’s Oval Hall.
The European Radio for Belarus called several MPs to confirm these reports and to comment on how exactly they wanted to save electricity.
Volha Abramava said the question was somewhat silly. Lawmaker Kascian described the reports as a newspaper hoax or even a provocation.
Kascian: “Sovietskaya Belorussia (presidential newspaper) seems to have been through hard times. They don’t know what to write about because nobody reads this newspaper anymore”.
He recalled that about 5 years ago he requested the logistics managers at the House of Representatives to replace bulbs. Yet, nothing has been done up to now, he said.
Actually, power-saving bulbs for the Oval Hall’s chandelier are being bought, Phillip Vysotski, a staff with the chief logistics department at the Office of the President, told the European Radio for Belarus.
Vysotski: “We are now buying those bulbs. We will also have to hire steeplejacks, because the chandelier hangs pretty high – about 14 meters. We hope that while lawmakers are out on vacations, we will have everything in place by their return”.
The next step will be to replace bulbs at lawmakers’ offices, but it will take more time.
The European Radio for Belarus also called several state-funded agencies to find out how they were implementing the presidential decree No 3 on energy-saving. The Palace of the Republic had the bulbs replaced long time ago and keeps changing them regularly. Part of power-saving bulbs was installed in the Minsk Concert Hall.
At the House of Officers, the power-saving system is worn-out and dates back to the Soviet times. They await a general overhaul, but no funds have been allocated for that.
Andrej Miniankow, the chief of energy-efficiency department, told ERB that the most modern power-saving equipment among administrative and social buildings was installed by School No 37 in Minsk. He described it as more efficient than bulb replacement.
Photo: physics.nad.ru
