Old Lyme could be latest town to switch to LED lights
Old Lyme — A proposal shows that switching to LED streetlights would save the town about $33,000 in energy and maintenance costs each year.
"The savings would be remarkable in terms of electricity consumption, and they will be the type of light that does not broadcast the light upward," Timothy Griswold said Monday. "It will be focused down on the road, where it should be."
Griswold, the town's treasurer and former first selectman, updated the Board of Selectmen on the research that he, First Selectwoman Bonnie Reemsnyder, and Board of Finance member Chris Kerr are conducting on LED streetlights.
The selectmen did not take a vote on the proposal on Monday.
Under a proposal from Tanko Lighting of San Francisco, the company would take an inventory of all the town's streetlights to determine if they are in the right place, or are needed at all in specific locations, Griswold said.
Reemsnyder said the company may recommend adding additional streetlights to some areas, removing some in other areas, or changing the wattage.
The town has an estimated 396 light fixtures, but the company would determine the exact number and a schedule for replacing the fixtures after conducting an inventory, Griswold said.
The move could result in an estimated 75 percent savings in the town's annual energy and maintenance costs, he said.
The town's current energy costs for streetlights are $31,603 per year. According to preliminary projections, annual energy costs for LED lights would be an estimated $7,338, a savings of $24,265 a year.
The town, which currently spends $12,973 in annual maintenance of its lights, would save about $9,172 in maintenance costs with LED lights, according to the projections.
Retrofitting the town's 396 streetlights would cost an estimated $115,114, but the town would be eligible for a $45,613 rebate, bringing the cost to $69,501.
Reemsnyder said the estimates show the town would pay off the costs in less than three years.
The ultimate cost would be subject to factors such as how many lights are needed.
Town officials also discussed adding enhancements, such as decorative arms, to certain streetlights, for example in the Sound View neighborhood.
Selectman Skip Sibley said he thought the LED proposal was a great initiative. He suggested that during the assessment the company pay attention to the town's crosswalk areas to make sure they are particularly well lighted.
If town officials move forward, the proposal would be presented to residents who would vote on it at a town meeting.
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