Rural community in Armenia gets energy-efficient lighting system

PanARMENIAN.Net - An important infrastructural problem has been solved in Arpi, a settlement located next to the Yerevan-Goris highway. Since 2018 Viva-MTS and the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC) have been implementing several infrastructural development projects: the last stage of outdoor lighting system introduction was implemented in 2021. Overall 234 LED lighting system were installed in the settlement to ensure the outdoor night light coverage of the whole village. Around 9 km streets were provided by lighting systems, 2.5 km of which was implemented in 2021 with 62 lights in total. Areni community municipality also invested in the implementation of this project. Now, with a joint effort, the final stage of lighting system installation is completed in Arpi.

“This program is extremely important in terms of environmental concerns, energy efficiency, community budgetary savings, and in terms of ensuring people’s safety, as well as from psychological perspective. It helps ensure long-term results, and also, to the best of our abilities, to mitigate the lingering development gap between the capital and the regions. Development of infrastructures, along with all the things I listed, creates proper living conditions for those in remote regions. Our long-lasting cooperation has been anchored on these objectives and the shared principles of corporate social responsibility. Big issues get solved by making small steps,” Viva-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian said.

"In 2021 we were able to achieve one more of our many goals. Arpi is almost completely provided with street lighting. As a result of the project, the residents of Arpi have a safer environment, which will also contribute to the revitalization of community life,” said Ruben Khachatryan, Founding Director of the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC).

For part of villagers life in the summer period was tough, though, as the villagers had organized night shifts to protect their fellow villagers from bears penetrating the village territory. With the launch of a modern outdoor lighting system, the village will be more protected from the possibility of being "targeted" by wild animals.

The introduction of energy-efficient outdoor lighting systems in remote areas is one of the important steps in creating the Eco-village Network in Armenia. This is one more step forward for the villages to be involved in a process aiming at creating harmonious environment both for the humans and nature, and which is based on environmental, economic, cultural and social components, the four pillars of sustainable development.

The operation of an energy-efficient modern lighting system is important from environmental perspective and in terms of ensuring community savings.