Egypt turns off streetlights to save power

Egypt says it will turn off half the streetlights in the country as 15 power stations have halted electricity production because of fuel shortages. Electricity production fell when the plants closed down in late December. The reduction in the number of streetlights turned on will save 700 megawatts of power worth $917,000, the state-run daily newspaper al-Ahram reported Friday. The conservation plan will be carried out by the ministry of local development and will last through March, Minister of Electricity and Energy Ahmed Imam said. The streetlight reduction follows an earlier energy saving measure in which the government required earlier closing times for shops and restaurants. Although unpopular with much of the public, the closing time rules went into effect Dec. 1.