The Government of Madeira (PSD/CDS-PP) will introduce “some restrictions” on the time of public lighting for Christmas and New Year, the chief executive said today, admitting that it is a “symbolic” measure.
“The examples are symbolic,” said Miguel Albuquerque, referring to the Regional Energy Savings Plan (PRPE), which was approved at a meeting of the Regional Government Council on Thursday and which determines several restrictive measures to Public Administration and recommendations for the private sector.
Speaking on the sidelines of a visit to the works of two streams in Santo António, on the outskirts of Funchal, the Madeiran official explained that between December 8th and January 6th, decorative public lighting will be on from 18:00 to 00:00. , with the exception of six days — December 23, 24, 25, 30 and 31 and January 1 — when they remain lit until 01:00.
Miguel Albuquerque considered that the PRPE is a “well-crafted” document and allows people to “enjoy the Christmas lights”.
“I think it’s been well done and we have to make some effort, too, especially in the Public Administration, in order to introduce some savings”, he reinforced, underlining: “It made no sense that, given the energy crisis we are going through, the The [Regional] government also did not have an initiative in this regard, even to set an example.”
The Regional Energy Savings Plan, approved on Thursday, contradicts the position initially taken by the Madeiran executive, following the resolution of the Council of Ministers, published on 27 September, referring to the national energy saving plan 2022-2023.