In accordance with relevant reports, Ratepayers are finally set to get some relief from soaring power bills with the rollout of LED street lighting.
Ausgrid, the state-owned electricity distributor, owns and maintains 250,000 streetlights on behalf of 41 councils - has been trialing power-saving LED technology in Australian conditions over the past 18 months. Now councils across Sydney, the Central Coast and Hunter will become the first in Australia to be part of a grid-wide rollout of the energy-saving technology.
Analysis shows Sydney councils have been paying up to $5 million each a year just to keep the lights on, with their power bills soaring by up to 12 per cent this year. Announcing the new LED street lighting rollout yesterday, Energy Minister Chris Hartcher said that it would save councils millions each year.
"The lifespan of LEDs is expected to be more than 20 years, meaning councils will pay a lot less for both maintenance and power," Mr Hartcher said. "When a standard light on a suburban street fails and cannot be fixed, it will now be replaced with a super-efficient LED."
Ausgrid will meet councils this week to invite them to be part of the rollout, which could begin as early as this month. Ausgrid trialed the LED streetlight technology by installing 62 lights in eight locations across Sydney and the Central Coast to see if it would prove robust enough for harsh Australian conditions.
The results showed electricity use reduced by up to 70 per cent, depending on the type of light replaced, short term maintenance was minimal and residents preferred the light output of LEDs. "Public lighting is an essential service for the community that helps making our roads and public areas safer for all," Mr Hartcher said.
