Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Streetlight Conversion topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council hears proposal to convert 48 high-pressure-sodium streetlights to LED; staff estimates ~$300 monthly savings
Summary
City staff outlined a plan to convert 48 remaining high-pressure-sodium streetlights to LED at an upfront cost just shy of $11,000. Staff estimated about $300 per month in utility savings and a roughly 3.6-year payback; council deferred a formal vote to the next meeting.
City staff presented a proposal on Feb. 9 to convert the city's remaining 48 high-pressure-sodium (HPS) streetlights to LED fixtures, saying the change would lower monthly utility costs and reduce maintenance.
The presenter said the city currently has 91 lights in total (43 already LED, 48 HPS). Staff described two billing schedules tied to ownership: Schedule 11 (city-owned) and Schedule 12 (Rocky Mountain Power-owned). The combined bill for both schedules ranges from roughly $3,400 to $4,000 per month depending on usage. "The estimated monthly savings would be about $300 a month," the presenter said, and estimated the conversion cost at "just shy of $11,000 total." He stated a payback period of about 3.6 years (the presenter also used “3 years” in other comments during the discussion when summarizing benefits).
Supporters at the table said LEDs will be brighter and reduce maintenance because HPS fixtures are more costly to maintain and have shorter lifespans. Council discussed that converting owned fixtures (Schedule 11) and those owned by Rocky Mountain Power (Schedule 12) require different coordination steps. The council agreed to take a formal vote at the next session rather than take immediate action.
Ending: no appropriation or contract was approved at the Feb. 9 work session; the item was scheduled for a vote at the next council meeting.
