Eiffel Tower to go dark earlier as Paris saves energy

By NICOLAS GARRIGA and BARBARA SURK
Associated Press

PARIS (AP) — Paris will start turning off lights on the Eiffel Tower and other iconic monuments to save energy. Mayor Anne Hidalgo said Tuesday that the Eiffel Tower that is normally illuminated until 1 a.m. will be plunged into darkness an hour and 15 minutes earlier. The French capital, like the rest of Europe, faces the risk of power shortages this winter amid dwindling supplies of natural gas from Russia. She says lights on Paris’ other landmarks, such as the City Hall, will be turned off even earlier, at 10 p.m. starting Sept. 23. For safety reasons, streetlights will stay on and bridges over the Seine River will remain illuminated.