Bahrain may soon embark on an ambitious plan to curb domestic consumption of electricity and reduce gas emissions, a report said.

If approved, the proposed scheme will help save up to 245MW of electricity per annum, according to the report in the Gulf Daily News.

Minister of State for Electricity and Water Affairs Dr Abdulhussain Mirza received Finance Ministry assistant under-secretary Ismael Abdulnabi Al Marhoun and contracts director Lamees Ibrahim Al Hassar to discuss the plan.

Under the scheme, two million Light Emitting Diodes and Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs will be distributed free to replace traditional bulbs which consume more electricity.

Under the second stage of the plan, imports of traditional bulbs will be banned.

The plan will help improve domestic energy efficient consumption by up to 80 per cent, help meet soaring demand for electricity during peak hours and reduce the emission of pollutant gases by 180,000 tonnes annually.

The scheme will also enable Bahrain to save more than 2,300 million cu m of natural gas yearly. Dr Mirza said that bids will be invited to vie for the contract once the project is finalised.– TradeArabia News Service