The capital has invested in LED energy-saving lights over the last eight years, Svet told ERR, and additional short-term measures are not planned.

"As of now, there are no such plans. We have to admit that we are currently saving hundreds of thousands of euros every month thanks to investments made in previous years, although, in reality, the number of lights on the streets has actually increased /.../ At the same time we will analyze what our possibilities are for achieving short-term savings without reducing local people's sense of security," he said.

Three years ago, 8,664 of Tallinn's 60,592 street lights were LEDs, but by this year the number of LED lights has risen to 25,386 and the total number of street lights to 66,993.

Recommendations passed on to schools, kindergartens

There are also no plans to reduce heating or lighting in city-owned institutions, including schools and kindergartens, Svet said.

He said the council is currently preparing recommendations for inspectors to make sure buildings are up to scratch to reduce energy consumption. These are the first places savings can be made, he added.

Tallinn also has no plans to turn off lights around public buildings or monuments.

"But if the need for savings increases, we will pay more attention to it. Our priority is to ensure safety, and where it is not a question of road users' safety, for example on the facade of some historic buildings, we can really consider reducing the lighting," said Svet.

Svet added that such decisions must be made on a case-by-case basis. 

"For example, it seems illogical to reduce the lighting related to Christmas decorations on the Town Hall Square and elsewhere in the Old Town in December, as it creates an atmosphere before Christmas, attracting tourists and locals," he said.

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