A new multi-million pound remote control system to manage Wakefield's 42,000 street lights could be brought in under plans to save the local authority up to £70 million on their electricity bill.
The street lighting plans have been drawn up, following forecasts that revealed lights and emissions targets, could cost the authority between £75.8 million and £128.6 million by 2030 if nothing is done in the coming years.
Illuminations across the Wakefield district are currently provided by a private finance initiative with Amey and it has 17 years to run.
However, the responsibility for energy prices fall on the council and a report to Wakefield Council's committee suggested that these will fall at £2.3 million this year.
This is expected to continue to rise in the coming years, costing the authority upwards of £70 million.
As a result of this, the committee will be looking towards introducing LED outdoor lights soon as this would cut energy consumption in half.
Early estimates show that the cost of installing the energy-efficient lighting and remote control system could be as much as £14.8 million.
Council cabinet member for Regeneration and Economic Growth Denise Jeffery told the Yorkshire Evening Post that the report is the first step in the process of enabling the council to plan for a more energy-efficient future.
"It is very important that we are proactive in looking at how we can mitigate against future increases in street lighting energy usage and price inflation in the most efficient way," she continued
"We also need to explore how we deal with the cost of Carbon Reduction credits should the current government proposals continue."
Wakefield would not be the only town in the UK to have LED street lights installed, as a number of councils have moved to reduce their carbon footprint in recent times.
Northampton Borough Council stated last year that it had enjoyed a 75 per cent reduction in energy consumption after installing the illuminations.
