PUC picks company to provide its new lights

NEWS RELEASE

PUC SERVICES

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At its August 26 meeting, the PUC Services Inc. Board of Directors were advised by staff that a proponent has been selected for the LED Streetlight Conversion contract.

The board was also pleased to learn that the conversion will save an estimated $1 million annually and that the project will be paid off eighteen months earlier than first anticipated.

“The switch to LED streetlights will save significant money, provide more versatile lighting, and improve our City’s energy-efficiency,” says Mayor Christian Provenzano, a member of the PUC Board of Directors. “The loan for the project will be repaid with the savings we realize on our lighting costs, so there will be no impact to taxpayers. Once the loan is retired, we will be able to pass the savings on to the community’s citizens. I’d like to acknowledge Councillor Butland, Madison Zuppa and the PUC staff for their work in moving this project forward.”

PUC is pleased to announce that, Alltrade Industrial Contractors Inc. was the successful bidder and has been awarded the LED Streetlight Conversion contract.

The all-inclusive project costs are in line with the initial estimate of approximately $9 Million, which includes design, supply and installation of fixtures, including wireless adaptive controls, as well as PUC costs related to the work.

PUC staff also report that the project’s payback period has been shortened to about 8 years and that the conversion will lead to an overall positive cash flow beginning the first year after completion.

With the contract awarded, engineering design is in progress for the conversion of Sault Ste. Marie’s HPS (High Pressured Sodium) streetlights to Light Emitting Diode (LED) type.

Presently, there are approximately 9,050 HPS streetlights, most of which were installed 20 to 25 years ago.

Construction is scheduled to begin in October, and the project is anticipated to take one year to complete.

“One of the questions we get regarding the LED Project is; ‘Why is the PUC changing the streetlights all at once, can’t they just replace them as they burn out?’” says PUC President and CEO Dominic Parrella.

“To realize maximum savings, the LED fixtures need to be installed as quickly as possible. Additionally, in order to obtain the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) incentive of approximately $900,000 the project needs to be completed by the end of 2016. Simply put, every HPS light we convert will result in an estimated savings of $112 (per year) in combined energy and maintenance costs.” says Parrella.

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