Villanueva de las Torres may be a small village in the very north of Granada with only 536 inhabitants, but it does have some pretty snazzy street lights.

In the north east of the municipality there are 40 cave houses at the end of one street, Calle Alhambra, where there has never been any street lighting but now they have installed solar-powered ones that work at 25% of their capacity until somebody approaches, which is detected and the lamps light up at 100% capacity.

Not only that, but the activated street light alerts the one next to it,as well.

The Mayor, José Vallejo Navarro, is over the moon with them. The village was able to afford their purchase and installation thanks to a grant received from the Provincial Council.

This grant is aimed at improving the environs of cave dwellings and also covered the tarmacking of the access lane, provided sewage disposal and mains water.

The Mayor said that they were happy because they even charge adequately during cloudy days: “There are no copper wires to steal, [as they are not connected up to the mains] you can’t hook up to them to steal electricity and they light up things very well,” he said.

It cost 26,000 euros to purchase and install them – a thousand per street lamp.

(News: Villanueva de Las Torres, Montes Orientales, Granada, Andalucia – Photo: Ideal/T.C.)