Category:
Rio reaches 525 LED streetlights with the Luz Maravilha Program.
Published on 08/07/2026 - 14:27 | Updated
The program reduced the city's public lighting energy consumption by more than 50%. Photo: Courtesy of RioLuz The Rio de Janeiro City Hall, through RioLuz, has modernized approximately 525 public lighting points with LED technology in the Luz Maravilha Program, one of the main initiatives of the city's Public-Private Partnership (PPP) for public lighting.
The modernization of the network was planned based on technical and social criteria, considering indicators such as the Human Development Index (HDI), crime hotspots, blackout rates, and areas of greater social vulnerability. For this reason, the first interventions were carried out in the West Zone, covering locations such as Muzema, Jardim Clarice, Camorim, and Curicica.
In addition to providing greater safety and visual comfort to the population, the program has generated significant environmental and economic benefits for the municipality. The replacement of old sodium vapor lamps with LED luminaires has allowed a 50% reduction in electricity consumption for public lighting, even with the expansion of the public lighting infrastructure.
In 2020, the last year before the implementation of the PPP (Public-Private Partnership), the average monthly energy consumption for public lighting exceeded 37 million kWh, with an average cost of R$ 31 million per month. In 2026, after the modernization of the lighting system, the average monthly consumption fell to 19 million kWh, while the average cost of the energy bill was reduced to R$ 13 million per month, generating, to date, savings of R$ 18 million per month for public coffers. In addition to the financial savings, the modernization contributed to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, since the system requires less energy to operate.
– The "Luz Maravilha" project represents one of the greatest advances in the modernization of public lighting in Rio de Janeiro. Replacing old luminaires with LED technology provides a brighter, safer, and more efficient city, in addition to significantly reducing energy consumption and costs for public coffers. We are investing in a modern, sustainable infrastructure prepared to better serve the population, bringing more quality of life to the people of Rio – highlights the president of RioLuz, Rodolpho Maldonado.
The first major delivery of the Luz Maravilha program took place in September 2021 in the Complexo do Alemão, with the modernization of 5.283 lighting points. In total, 15 communities were included, benefiting more than 60 residents. Subsequently, the Complexo da Penha became the second major community in the city to receive fully LED lighting, expanding the program's coverage in areas historically prioritized for urban infrastructure investments.
The program also completed the modernization of 19 strategic tunnels in the city, including the Major Vaz, João Ricardo, Rebouças, Santa Bárbara, Noel Rosa, Alaor Prata (Old Tunnel), Zuzu Angel, Rafael Mascarenhas, and Sá Freire Alvim tunnels, providing greater safety and visibility for drivers and pedestrians who use these important road corridors daily.
In addition to the tunnels, important city roads now have fully modernized LED lighting, including the Linha Vermelha (Red Line), Avenida Dom Hélder Câmara, the Lagoa-Barra Highway, Avenida Presidente Vargas, Avenida Ayrton Senna, Avenida das Américas, Avenida Santa Cruz, Estrada do Pau Ferro, Avenida Cesário de Melo, and Estrada do Campinho.
The "Luz Maravilha" (Wonderful Light) project also brought LED lighting to some of the city's main leisure, sports, and tourism areas. The beaches of Leme, Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon, Praia Vermelha, Barra da Tijuca, Recreio dos Bandeirantes, and Pontal are now fully modernized. Quebra-Mar, in Barra da Tijuca, received a groundbreaking lighting project, further enhancing one of the region's iconic landmarks. Ilha da Gigoia now has 100% LED lighting, benefiting residents, businesses, and visitors.
Remote management and smart city
Another significant advancement of the PPP is the implementation of the remote management system, a technology that allows for the remote monitoring and control of lighting points. The platform also provides real-time information on energy consumption, voltage, electrical current, and equipment lifespan, enabling preventive maintenance and increasing operational efficiency.
In the future, integration with sensors and cameras could further expand the functionalities of this infrastructure, allowing for faster responses to incidents and emergencies, as well as contributing to the planning of an increasingly smart and connected city.
Thefts remain the main obstacle.
Despite the progress made, theft of cables, light fixtures, and other equipment remains one of the main obstacles faced by the municipality's public lighting system.
Between 2021 and June 2026, losses caused by theft and vandalism totaled approximately R$ 36 million in materials and equipment that needed to be replaced by RioLuz. The resources allocated to these replacements could have been used for new improvements for the population.
To minimize the impact of these criminal actions, the company has been adopting several preventive measures. These include replacing copper cables with aluminum ones in strategic sections of the city—a material with a lower resale value on the black market—reinforcing and shielding junction boxes, installing anti-theft covers, using anti-vandalism screws and devices, as well as continuously monitoring the most critical points and working in conjunction with public security agencies.
One of the main examples of these initiatives was carried out on the Linha Vermelha (Red Line), where approximately 8 meters of copper cables were replaced with aluminum, accompanied by the implementation of a special project to protect the electrical infrastructure.
With the advancement of the Luz Maravilha Program, Rio de Janeiro is consolidating one of the largest public lighting modernization processes in Latin America, combining energy efficiency, technological innovation, sustainability, and improved quality of life for the population.
