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NewStreetlights.com > news > Lompoc approves rate - 06 Oct 2011 |
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Lompoc, California, city council approves rate for LED streetlights
Thursday, October 6, 2011
By New Streetlights staff
The city council of Lompoc, California, has adopted a new electric utility rate schedule for the city’s LED streetlights following staff recommendations to make a rate change.
Previously, the city of Lompoc only had had rates reflecting the use of high pressure sodium (HPS) fixtures. The new rate schedule reflects the lower energy consumption of LED streetlights and provides a competitive rate structure for the energy efficient fixtures.
In 2009, the city established a pilot program to test LED technology as a replacement for the city’s current HPS fixtures. The results of the pilot program helped city officials assess illumination needs and calculate savings for both energy cost and maintenance. An RFP valued at approximately $100,000 was recently awarded to an electrical contractor who will install 124 new LED streetlight fixtures manufactured by Leotek Electronics of Milpitas, California. The contractor is awaiting delivery of the fixtures from Leotek, and is expected to need approximately two weeks for the complete installation. According to Marty Hostler, electric utility division manager for the city of Lompoc, “the city will save about $1,263 per month for the first ten months and that will increase to about $1,800 per month after July 2012.” Hostler expects further savings as additional LED streetlight installations are completed.
“When we first started this project we did not have a rate structure in place for LED streetlights. As a municipal utility we need the tariff so that we can accurately account for the LED fixture’s energy consumption,” said Brad Wilkie, management services director for the city of Lompoc. A comparison of LED fixtures to existing HPS fixtures indicates that the city will reduce energy consumption by at least 50%.
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