The Township of Centre Wellington and Centre Wellington Hydro are moving ahead with the project of retrofitting our 1,926 streetlights currently used on Township streets and intersections with energy efficient Light-Emitting Diode (“LED”) streetlights. The majority of the current lights are either high-pressure sodium or old mercury vapour technology, which waste energy and produce vast amounts of light spill.
The township is working with consultant Rob Benninger, an Elora resident who has years of experience in the lighting industry, LED Roadway, a Canadian LED lighting manufacturing company located in Nova Scotia and H.V Power from Gorrie, Ontario to complete the removal and installation of the new LED streetlights.
In addition to reducing power consumption by approximately 60%, LEDs also substantially reduce maintenance costs, do not contain toxic chemicals and are guaranteed to last up to 100,000 hours or 20 years. Our current High Pressure Sodium streetlights generally last only 4-5 years. LED lights require no warm up – are quick to turn on – and don’t produce bug-attracting ultraviolet light. With no additional cost to the taxpayers, savings over a 6-7 year period will offset the cost of the project. A grant of $232,200 from the saveONenergy Retrofit Program, will also support this streetlight conversion project.
LEDs produce “directional” light – light emitted in one direction, rather than a diffused glow. This “directional” light doesn’t cause streetlights to shine into people’s homes or create light pollution by shining light into the sky where it is not needed.
H.V. Power has been contracted by the Township to dismantle the old lights intact and replace the new LED lights all at the same time. Old lights will be recycled after the mercury has been removed off-site. Test LED streetlights have already been installed and have been functioning for over a year on Irvine, Church, Bridge, Geddes and Metcalfe Streets in Elora and St. Andrews and Scotland Streets in Fergus.
Over the coming years the Township will also review existing streets where lighting levels are poor and prepare a plan for future improvements.
Over 50% of Municipalities in Ontario have converted to LED streetlights. The project will commence in Centre Wellington in June 2015 and be completed by the end of September.
The Township of Centre Wellington has a population of 28,000 and covers an area of 400 square kilometres. In terms of population, the Township is in the top 15% of single and lower-tier municipalities in Ontario.
LED Roadway Lighting Ltd. is a Canadian-owned and operated clean technology company that designs and manufactures LED-based roadway luminaires and control systems. They are headquartered in Halifax, Nova Scotia, with primary manufacturing located in Amherst, Nova Scotia.
For more information please visit the Township website at www.centrewellington.ca.
