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Monmouth council adopts new electric rates as utility shifts to LED fixtures
Summary
The Monmouth City Council on Oct. 1 adopted Resolution No. 1999 setting electric utility rates and charges after a staff presentation on updating security‑light options as the utility phases out high‑pressure sodium fixtures in favor of LEDs.
Monmouth — The Monmouth City Council unanimously adopted Resolution No. 1999 on Oct. 1, setting rates and charges for the municipal electric utility as staff described technical updates to lighting options tied to a transition from high‑pressure sodium (HPS) lamps to LED fixtures.
Director Wade Carey of Monmouth Power and Light told the council the change to Rate Schedule 5 is principally housekeeping: the schedule will no longer list lighting technology or specific wattages, allowing staff to match customers to available LED fixtures as HPS bulbs are phased out. “High pressure sodium has been being phased out for a number of years now,” Carey said. He noted LED fixtures offer better color rendering and can provide similar or greater illumination with lower lumen requirements: “LED lights, these all have a CRI above 80,” compared with HPS at about 35, he said.
Councilors questioned how many customers would be affected and whether the utility planned fixtures to limit light pollution. Carey said the utility completed an audit of existing fixtures and will maintain a smaller set of common lumen options as units fail and are replaced. He added that cobra‑head (downlight) options will be specified as dark‑sky compliant, while floodlight options for business parking areas will remain available. Carey also said the utility will target color temperatures at or below 3,000K to reduce sleep‑impact risks associated with higher Kelvin values.
The adoption followed a formal roll call; the council recorded the motion to approve the resolution and the measure passed 6–0. Carey also briefed the council on a recent outage, saying a direct lightning strike damaged three lightning arrestors on a city feeder and crews restored service after on‑site repairs.
The resolution replaces the prior rate resolution and directs city staff to implement the revised rate schedule. According to staff comments, the change is intended to provide flexibility as lighting inventory changes and to give customers clearer, simpler security‑light options. The council did not amend the resolution during the meeting.
