Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada - The city of Yellowknife is speeding up its efforts to install more cost effective, energy efficient LED bulbs in street lights. to date the city and its partners Northland Utilities have swapped out 178 high pressure sodium bulbs and replaced them with the longer lasting LED option.

Director of Corporate Services Carl Bird says the long life of the LED bulbs isn't the only advantage.

"The biggest advantage is a significant reduction in the amount of power required to run LED lighting compared to the existing technology."

Bird says the city did launch a pilot program to make sure the bulbs would work.

"The technology is now proven to work in a cold weather environment. The pilot was partly for that, it was to test different types of LED lighting and to make sure that there was enough light that it makes sure our communities remain safe and everything like that. It was proven to be the case, so that’s why we are going forward."

Bird says there isn't a dollar amount yet on what the city will save, the target is replace all 15,000 street lights by the end of 2016.