France to turn off Office lights and night store

Paris (Reuters)-French shops and office buildings will have to turn off the lights at night to save energy and reduce light pollution, the French Environment Ministry said Wednesday.

From 1 July, all non-residential buildings must turn off Interior lights an hour after the last workman leaving the premises. All exterior lighting shop window and will be off by 1.

Local authorities will be able to allow exceptions for Christmas lighting and other local events.

The new law will save about two terawatt hours of electricity per year-the equivalent of 750,000 households consumption, the Ministry said.

The Delphine Batho's Environment Minister said that France also would be a pioneer in Europe in preventing light pollution, that disrupts ecosystems and people's sleep.

(Reporting by Geert De Clercq; Edited by Pravin Char)

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