Local U.S. governments have been actively replacing conventional streetlights with LEDs in an effort to slash energy consumption, according to a latest report from The Climate Group mayors across the U.S. are prioritizing LED streetlights. Below are summaries of streetlight projects in several U.S. cities.

North Dakota Replaces 3,500 Streetlights with LEDs

U.S. energy utility company Xcel Energy is replacing 3,500 streetlight sin North Dakota including 1,200 in Minot, Burlington, Berthold, and Des Lacs, reported local paper Bristol Herald Courier. The streetlight replacement in Minot will be finished within two weeks, and after that Xcel crew will be replacing lights in Grand Forks and Fargo, said Xcel.

St. Cloud City in Minnesota chooses smart LED streetlights

St. Cloud City Council of Minnesota has approved of commissioning Apex Efficiency Solutions to install smart streetlight system, Intellistreets, in the city, reported SC Times.

The smart lighting system comprises more than 2,000 smart LED streetlights in its central business district, and nearly 3,200 traffic lights and 525 pedestrian crossing light, and possesses features of playing music, broadcasting announcements, a couple of the lights will even come with surveillance cameras.

The streetlights project worth an estimated US $7.13 million, will be installed in late 2016, and is expected to be completed by early 2017.

Pottstown Borough Council in Pennsylvania undecided on smart LED streetlight system

The Pottstown Borough Council is still considering whether it should convert its 1,831 streetlights to a smart LED streetlight system with dimming and strobing controls, or get a normal LED streetlight system before updating it with smart controls, reported Berks and Beyond.

The streetlights in the borough are very outdated, running on technology from 1930s or 1960s, said Michael Bayesa of Johnson Controls, the vendor for the regional commission.

A smart control streetlight project could be used in emergencies, indicate which lights are malfunctioning, and dim the lights during holidays to enhance holiday lightings. Another option would be to forgo all smart controls, and just use a normal LED streetlight.

Depending on the LED streetlight system chosen (either smart or normal lighting) used for the streetlight project, construction and installation costs would range from US $783,623 to $1.2 million. But the expenses involved of not converting the streetlights outweighs swapping to LEDs, no changes in current streetlights would cost taxpayers $3 million.

Bayesa estimates the city council would receive half of its investments back within a period of 20 years with the controlled system, and with ordinary LED lights it would save about $2 million over the same period.

The new LED streetlights would come with a 10-year warranty, and degrade at after 100,000 hours, which is more than 25 years, analyzed Bayesa.

Nevada city Lincoln works on LED streetlight upgrade plan

Lincoln city staff and local utility company Lincoln Eclectic System (LES) are in the process of coming up with a plan to replace all traditional streetlights with LEDs, reported The Journal Star. The streetlight retrofit project is estimated to cost $14 million to $16 million.

The LED lights have higher upfront cost, averaging US$185 per lights, said Tom Cajka, with the city planning staff.

The difference of LED and high pressure sodium bulbs in residential streetlight costs is about $125, with the price of a LED fixture at $230. Currently, an arterial streetlight costs about $180, but an equivalent LED light could cost up to $375, according to data compiled by LES.

For the streetlight project to work, the city plans to subsidize developers for extra costs if they install LED lights “in subdivisions that have already been platted under the old design rules,” according to the report. Total subsidy costs should range of $10,000 to $15,000, said Frank Uhlarik, who manages environmental programs for Mayor Chris Beutler. 

Although, the city planning staff has sent out proposed changes to design standards for new subdivisions to more than 120 builders, they have not received any feedback yet, said Cajka.

The LES has been replacing broken conventional streetlights with LED fixtures since 2014, and ornamental streetlight replacements in residential areas with LEDs since 2015, according to a report published by the planning commission.