A program projected to save taxpayers $3.5 million over the next ten years has been implemented with little notice paid residents and without major complication. The sole issue raised by the administration is that the major contractor that did the work has yet to send the city an invoice so it can close out the account. And that’s really not a complaint.

The savings are realized in the cost of electricity and the maintenance of the city’s 9,500 street lights.

Under a program designed by former Principal City Planner Lucas Murray with PRISM Light that was approved by the mayor and city council and funded with a $3.2 million bond issue, the city bought the street lights from National Grid for $50,000 and  converted them  to LED technology. That change has reduced the city’s monthly electric bill by 65 percent for an annual savings of about $400,000, according to projections.

According to planning department personnel who have closely tracked the project, what few calls the city has received concerns have been resolved by positioning reflectors so as to direct light away from residences. There have also been requests to have lights moved as to shine on private driveways that have not been heeded.

The program does not include flood lights or decorative lighting.

When actual replacement of the lights started on Feb. 4, 2021, the program was directed at addressing requests to fix about 300 burned out lights. The irony is that some of those lights had been “red capped,” or purposely turned out at the request of those residents who now wanted them on.

The new lights carry a 10-year warrantee and have a longer life span than the high-pressure sodium lights replaced.

The projected savings of the program takes into consideration the cost of maintenance that is contracted by the city as well as the ten years to pay off the bond. It also includes energy saving incentives provided by National Grid.

Replacement of the old lights was completed this spring with the only outstanding issue being the invoicing for about $40,800.

Approved in June 2020

Now that the city has bought its streetlights from National Grid and contracted to replace them with more energy efficient LED (light emitting diode) lights, some residents can’t wait to see the difference.

Lucas Murray, principal planner and special project manager with the Planning Department, who is overseeing the conversion, has been getting the calls. Last week he had a list of 130 requests for lights.

Most people understand when told they will get the lights once the city has them. The city plans to replace all 9,000 streetlights by late July or early August. Murray said he was able to get 45 of the lights pending delivery of 8,000 of the units. His priority is to replace burned out lights first.

But some residents are impatient, even indignant, that they should have to wait. Murray has heard claims that safety is at stake and as taxpayers they shouldn’t have to wait to get “their” streetlight on. The irony is that some of these lights were “red capped,” or purposely turned off, at the request of residents.

In other cases, the lights have burned out and are in need of replacement. However, Murray said that could cost $400 per light, although in a short time they would be exchanged for the LED lights. He’s for saving the taxpayers the money if it’s not compromising safety.

The city purchased the existing lights and fixtures from National Grid in October at a cost of $50,000 with the expectation it will take three to six months to replace them. A $3.2 million, 10-year bond is underwriting the cost of the program. The new lights are projected to save the city $370,000 annually and more than $700,000 once the bond is paid off. The savings will result from a combination of the energy-saving LEDs and a reduction in maintenance costs that made up a chunk of what the city was paying National Grid. The new lights have a 10-year warrantee.

To start with, the LEDs use less power to generate the same output of the high-pressure sodium lights they replace. In addition, the city has the capability to reduce lighting in neighborhoods. The plan is to dim neighborhood lights after 11 p.m. They would remain at full power on highly traveled roads. The lights automatically shut off with daylight.

Murray said the city should have the money to make pole replacements where needed as well as maintain the unique feature of period lighting in Pawtuxet and Conimicut while converting them to LEDs. Should there be sufficient funds, Murray would like to tackle ball field lighting.

“When done, everything will look like new,” he said.

More than the savings, the city expects fewer calls over non-working lights and a far faster response by PRISM, or Partnership for Rhode Island Streetlight Management, which is contracted to maintain the system. Reports of non-working lights can be made online to PRISM and replacements will be made in less than a week.

An issue Murray feels should best be left up to the City Council is requests for additional lights, or for that matter tuning off neighborhood lights. At the council level, residents would have the opportunity to air their concerns before action is taken, he said.