Featured on both the KJCT8 News and KKCO NBC 11 News, DMEA (Delta-Montrose Electric Association) recently installed LED lighting on a busy Montrose corridor to pilot an upcoming program. In total, 32 LED lights were installed along the San Juan Bypass in between a section of older street lamps. Drivers and motorists driving through this section of road can see the clear transition from the older dim yellow lights to the new bright white LED lights. During this pilot program, DMEA is trying to solicit feedback from the public who drive on these streets everyday.

The streetlights that DMEA installed were the e-lite star™ SL3c LED street light.  The new street lights uses only 38W to replace the older 100 W High Pressure Sodium (HPS) lamps.  It saves two-thirds of the energy for the city compared to the traditional HPS lights. Delivering more than 113 lm/W, the LED luminaire casts uniform lighting on the streets. The old technology HPS lamps were changed roughly every four years, while the new lights using LEDs could last more than 20 years.  There are no bulb replacements for the new LED lights and each street light comes with a 10 year limited warranty.  All of these benefits means less maintenance work for the city crews. 

(Photo Credit: DMEA)

The cost of having the LED Street light is fairly low with the rebates offered.  DMEA offers rebate programs that is designed to help cut electricity bills through installing efficient lighting. For LED Street and parking lot lighting, rebates are available for communities that replace aging streetlights with LED technology or install new LED street lights. Project design must meet or exceed IESNA requirements.

Rebates are 25% of the cost of head with cap (up to $200 per head) and the project cap is $20,000. More information about the program can be found on the DMEA website at www.dmea.com.

The benefits are huge for using efficient LED lighting.  If the test results goes well and the city garner positive feedback from drivers, DMEA will potentially start the upcoming program to install more of the efficient LED Street lights.