LED Lighting Upgrades
During 2023-24, we are upgrading approximately 6500 residential street lights with energy efficient LEDs to save cost and reduce direct greenhouse gas emissions, as part of Phase One of the bulk LED upgrade. We have committed to this activity as part of our Annual Business Plan which sets out our priorities for the year, at a cost of approximately $3.83 million.
Street lighting 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.
The upgraded LED lighting will improve road user safety at night by illuminating roads and footpaths effectively and efficiently. Power costs have increased significantly over recent years, with costs for the streetlight network increasing by over 50% over the last 12 months.
Once fully installed, the new lights will save approximately $386,000 per year on electricity and further savings on maintenance costs. There will also be an anticipated annual reduction of 272 tonnes of direct greenhouse emissions (tCO2-e).
LED lighting upgrade details and timelines
The LED streetlight bulk replacement program (Phase 1) started in late December 2023 in the Queenstown area, and progress around the city until mid 2024. Approximately 6500 stobie-pole mounted lights in residential streets will be upgraded during this time. SA Power Networks and Enerven installation crews are working across the city and the below map shows completion rates as at 12 March 2024.
Over the last 10 or so years, approximately 3000 streetlights have already been upgraded to new LED streetlights across City of PAE, as older lights have failed.
Main road, decorative and public reserve/sporting streetlights will not be changed as part of Phase One of the rollout. These lights will be scheduled for upgrade as part of the next stage of the project, with timing on the subsequent stage rollout of the 7,400 remaining streetlights unknown.
LED lighting upgrade FAQ
Old streetlights using sodium and mercury based High Intensity Discharge (HID) style lamps are being phased out across the world and will eventually be banned in Australia. The transition to LED street lighting technology will significantly reduce our energy consumption and maintenance costs per year, and provide an overall improvement to our street lighting network.
The new LED streetlights being installed will be up to 82% more energy efficient than existing mercury vapour lamps, require less maintenance and provide a more consistent light on our roads and footpaths. The white light generated from LEDs (Light Emitting Diode) will vary from some existing streetlights which can appear yellow (high pressure sodium) and amber (low pressure sodium). Another advantage of LED streetlights being installed 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 LED lights will result in less glare and back spill into properties due to improved optics.
The City of PAE pays for street lighting via public lighting tariffs and the energy used.
Most street lighting 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. The installation of new LED streetlights is being undertaken by SA Power Networks, with contractors carrying out the change overs on behalf of Council.
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, the lights scheduled for LED upgrade are now displayed as a grey dot on the map. If you have concerns about a light not working, 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 heading North up to the car park at Fort Largs.
These lights are amber in colour to minimise the impact on local fauna and dim to 50 per cent 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
Council will liaise with SAPN and investigate possible solutions.
