LED Streetlight Installation Underway in the City of Oshawa
OSHAWA, ON – The City of Oshawa, working in partnership with the Oshawa Power and Utilities Corporation (O.P.U.C.), is upgrading its streetlight system to energy-efficient, light-emitting diode (LED) streetlights to reduce energy costs and provide a smarter, environmentally-friendly option. The new lighting system installation began the week of October 17 and will replace approximately 12,700 streetlights by spring 2017.
The new LED fixtures will help reduce streetlight energy consumption by approximately 60% and reduce streetlight utility costs because LEDs require less electricity than the high-pressure sodium lights they are replacing. The upgrade will reduce annual streetlight maintenance costs by up to 80% because LEDs are a solid state technology (with no moving parts) and last up to four times longer than the City's existing streetlights.
Converting all of Oshawa’s streetlights to LED will reduce the City’s carbon footprint by reducing the amount of greenhouse gas emissions by estimated 432 metric tons per year and approximately 9,925 metric tons over the lifetime of the fixture. This is the equivalent of the greenhouse gas emissions avoided by recycling 3,150 tons of waste instead of landfilling them.
“Street lights add a level of safety and security throughout Oshawa and switching to LED lights allows the City to provide this while reducing our carbon footprint helping our environment,” said Councillor Bob Chapman, Chair of the Community Services Committee.
“The City has achieved a classic win-win on this project,” said Councillor Nancy Diamond, Chair, Finance Committee. “Our community will save hundreds of thousands of dollars in reduced energy costs, while, at the same time, providing better, environmentally-friendly lighting”.
LED fixtures have been proven to reduce light pollution. They are designed to diffuse and distribute the light in a more precise manner than traditional streetlights thus reducing glare and lighting only targeted areas.
LAS (Local Authority Services) and RealTerm Energy will provide a turnkey solution for the conversion of the City’s streetlights. This will include a Geographic Information System (G.I.S.) audit, photometric design, procurement, installation, certified recycling and a 10-year warranty. Working with the O.P.U.C., RealTerm Energy will also be making significant improvements to many light locations, which will lower maintenance costs in the future.
“The partnership between the City of Oshawa, the O.P.U.C., LAS and RealTerm Energy demonstrates the City’s commitment to go beyond the normal scope of an LED upgrade, providing cost-savings opportunities and benefits to the community,” said Kerry Wilson, RealTerm Energy’s Managing Director, Business Solutions.
To date, over 150 Ontario municipalities have chosen to upgrade to LED street lighting with LAS and RealTerm Energy including London, Niagara Falls and Barrie.
Quick Project Overview
Total number of fixtures: 10,371 cobra head and 2,332 decorative
Estimated annual electricity consumption reduction: 60%
Estimated annual maintenance cost savings: 80%
Estimated annual greenhouse gas reduction: 432 metric tons
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City of Oshawa
The City of Oshawa has a population of 157,000 and is located 30-minutes from Toronto. Oshawa was ranked a Top City of the Future and a Smart21 Community of 2016, while downtown Oshawa was named a top neighbourhood for investment. Our strategic pursuit of sustainable growth, excellent community service delivery and co-operative partnerships have enhanced our quality of life and attracted new business to our city.
Local Authority Services (LAS) is a preferred provider of competitively priced and sustainable co-operative business services for Ontario municipalities and the broader public sector. As the not-for-profit service arm of Association of Municipalities Ontario, LAS helps its customers “save money, make money, and build capacity.”
Oshawa Power Utilities Corporation Inc.
Oshawa Power and Utilities Corporation (OPUC) provides energy and communication related services through subsidiaries such as Oshawa PUC Networks, Oshawa PUC Energy Services and Oshawa PUC Services. OPUC is proud to bring innovative and efficient projects to life for our customer base of over 56,000 connections, and for partner organizations.
RealTerm Energy Corp. is redefining the municipal street lighting market with intelligent LED lighting systems and services that deliver unmatched energy and maintenance savings. We create and foster long-term partnerships with forward-thinking private, public and government market leaders to deliver innovative and cost-effective lighting solutions.