Sooner or later, Nova Scotia will become the first jurisdiction in North America to exclusively use LED roadway lighting.

Energy Minister Charlie Parker finalized amendments to the Energy-Efficient Appliances Regulations, Sept. 12, that require all road and highway lighting in Nova Scotia must be converted to LED.

The regulations require Nova Scotia Power to complete its conversion by Dec. 31, 2019. Municipalities will have until Dec. 31, 2022, and now have one year to outline the conversion.

The regulations are expected to save Nova Scotians about $5 million a year in energy costs alone after all the lights have been converted. Nova Scotia Power is proposing a new rate plan for streetlight customers which will not increase annual costs for seven years and offer a rate reduction if they use Nova Scotia Power-owned lights. Depending on maintenance, there could be additional savings. Municipalities that choose to own their own lights could also benefit from lower financing costs.

The regulations were drafted by the Department of Energy after public consultations and meetings with the LED Working Group that includes Halifax Regional Municipality, Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities, Efficiency Nova Scotia and Nova Scotia Power.