Town green-lights move to LED street lights

The town is moving forward with a FortisAlberta initiative to convert existing community street lights to environmentally friendly, cost effective LED lighting technology.

The FortisAlberta proposal was brought to town council's Nov. 14 regular meeting. Council accepted the proposal unanimously. Its implementation in town will come when and if Fortis's proposed billing and conversion cost formula is approved by the Alberta Utilities Commission.

Council members were told the cost of converting the town's 800 Fortis-owned cobra head street lights from existing high pressure sodium (HPS) technology to light emitting diode (LED) will be covered by Fortis at no cost to the town. The plan by Fortis does not include decorative style street lighting, yard lighting or street lights owned and operated by the Town of Innisfail.

In its report to the town, Fortis said the conversion will save the town 384,300 kilowatt hours per year, which is equivalent to taking 52 cars off the road, operating 49 homes, and planting 11,270 trees per year.

Fortis's report to the town emphasized that the replacement of HPS street lights with LED technology provides clearer and more consistent light quality, lowers energy consumption, improves safety and night visibility, increases the lifespan of the fixture, reduces maintenance costs and decreases the environmental footprint as there will be no mercury, lead or other known disposable hazards.

Helen Dietz, the town's chief administrative officer, said in her report to council there will be a $4,568 savings a year with the new LED street light technology.

“The reduced energy consumption of the LED fixtures would provide savings that will be reflected in the transmission and retailer energy portions of your electricity bill,” said Stan Orlesky, stakeholder relations manager for Fortis in a letter to the Town of Innisfail.