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Atlantic Beach solar lighting project faces equipment delays and potential connectivity costs
Summary
Town staff said the $488,840 solar lighting project shifted to Ocean Boulevard and is likely to miss an Oct. 31 completion due to delayed pole and fixture deliveries; the project has $1,888 unallocated and Spectrum connectivity for cameras may add costs.
Atlantic Beach officials told the council Oct. 6 that the town’s solar lighting project — budgeted at $488,840 and moved to Ocean Boulevard due to material and cost constraints — is nearing completion but is facing delivery delays and possible added costs for camera connectivity.
William Booker, giving the community report, said the initial plan to place the system along 30th Avenue changed because the town could not get sufficient materials or meet cost expectations. "It's scheduled to be completed by the end of October," Booker said, but he warned pole and fixture deliveries expected in mid-October could push the timeline beyond Oct. 31.
Booker provided a project financial summary: the total project value is $488,840; $360,428 has been committed to Bay Electric; approximately $78,525 has been spent on engineering and administration; and $48,000 was used for an electric-vehicle charging station, leaving $1,888 in remaining project funds.
A technical issue remains unresolved: the solar lighting poles include cameras that must connect to the police monitoring screen. Booker said the town must work with Spectrum to connect camera feeds and that the cost is unclear — it could be minor (an IP-based link) or significant if additional poles or infrastructure are required. "They may be significant and they may be insignificant," Booker said.
Council members noted the project is grant-funded and reimbursable through Horry County; the manager and staff described the reimbursement process: the town pays vendor invoices, then requests reimbursement, which triggers a short processing period after the vendor cashes the check.
The manager and council did not set a revised completion date during the meeting; Booker said the contractor may ask for a short extension due to delivery timing.
