We upgraded 4,856 residential streetlights with energy efficient LEDs to save cost and reduce direct greenhouse gas emissions.
Light Emitting Diode (LED) lighting upgrade details
Streetlighting is important for the safety of both pedestrians and motorists, making it easier for people to drive or walk along streets and footpaths at night. As part of Phase 1 of our bulk LED lighting upgrade, we have upgraded 4,856 streetlights, at a cost of approximately $2.46 million.
The upgraded LED lighting has improved road user safety at night by illuminating roads and footpaths effectively and efficiently. Power costs have also increased significantly over recent years, with costs for the streetlight network increasing by over 50% over the last 12 months. The upgrade has been forecasted to deliver net operating cost savings of $198,223 in the first year via cheaper electricity and maintenance tariffs. There will also be an anticipated annual reduction of 217 tonnes of ‘direct’ greenhouse emissions (tCO2-e).
Better lighting and energy saving for local communities with LED Public lighting transition
LED lighting upgrade FAQs
Old High Intensity Discharge (HID) style streetlights, which are sodium and mercury based, are being phased out across the world and will eventually be banned in Australia. The transition to LED streetlighting technology will significantly reduce our energy consumption and maintenance costs per year, and provide an overall improvement to our streetlighting network.
The new LED streetlights being installed are up to 82% more energy efficient than existing mercury vapour lamps. They will also require less maintenance and provide a more consistent light on our roads and footpaths. The white light generated from LEDs (Light Emitting Diode) will be a different kind of light from some existing streetlights, which can appear yellow (high pressure sodium) or amber (low pressure sodium).
Another advantage of installing LED streetlights will be less light pollution and back-spill into properties, due to improved light distribution from the new LED streetlight lenses and optics. Although streetlights may appear to be brighter (as they are newly installed lights) they will be more efficient in spreading light more evenly along and across footpaths and roads. Visibility along the street will also be improved and objects will look more natural.
The City of PAE pays for streetlighting via public lighting tariffs and the energy used. Most streetlighting in South Australia is owned and operated by SA Power Networks as a service to councils and the State Government.
SA Power Networks (SAPN) owns and manages a majority of streetlights around PAE. SAPN installed the new LED streetlights, while contractors carried out any changeovers on our behalf.
During the LED streetlight upgrade rollout, the process for reporting a streetlight fault has changed. You can continue to report streetlight faults on the SAPN website by selecting a green dot that shows the location of the faulty streetlight. However, any light scheduled for LED upgrade is now displayed as a grey dot on the map, indicating that the light is due for replacement as part of the upgrade.
If you have concerns about a light not working in the meantime, you can still report a light indicated by a grey dot via email to LEDRollOuts@sapowernetworks.com.au or call SAPN on 13 12 61 during business hours. Otherwise, it will be replaced during the bulk LED streetlight upgrade project.
As part of the LED Lighting Upgrades project, we recently upgraded lights along the Esplanade near the dunes from Chester Street and heading north to the car park at Fort Largs. These lights are amber in colour to minimise the impact on local fauna. They dim to 50% overnight between the hours of 11pm and 5am.
If you have concerns about a newly installed streetlight or would like to request an additional streetlight, please email LEDRollOuts@sapowernetworks.com.au. We will liaise with SAPN to investigate possible solutions.
