My town's old streetlights versus the new LED ones are a huge win for cutting power

I got curious after our town council meeting last month where they talked about the budget. They said switching the old high-pressure sodium streetlights to LEDs would cost about $200,000 up front. I thought that was crazy, but then I looked at the numbers. The old lights used 250 watts each, and the new ones use under 80 watts for the same light. They're doing about 1,000 lights, so that's a massive drop in power use right there. The guy from the power company said it would save the town over $40,000 a year on the electric bill alone, which means it pays for itself in a few years. Plus, the LEDs last way longer, so they don't need to send trucks out to change bulbs as much, cutting down on fuel and work. It's a clear case of spending a bit now to save a ton later, both in money and in carbon from the power plant. Has your town or city made a switch like this, and did you notice the difference?

3 comments

3 Comments

grantp2825d ago

Our town switched last year and the energy bill dropped by thirty percent.

mila_brown1020d ago

That thirty percent drop is huge. It really shows how much of a difference these projects can make. More towns should pay attention to numbers like that.

gibson.sarah25d ago

Totally worth the upfront cost. The savings on power and maintenance add up fast. Smart move for any town budget.