Seattle City Councilmember Bruce Harrell

The DOE has recognized our leadership with LED streetlights and chose Seattle City Light to lead a national effort to promote the installation of LED streetlights. The “Municipal Solid State Street Lighting Consortium” has been established to share information, performance results and residents’ feedback about LED streetlights with participating communities nationwide.

You may recall that City Light received a $1 million grant from the United States Department of Energy (DOE) for the beginning phases of our transition to LED streetlights from the high-pressure sodium streetlights used currently. This year the Utility will install 5,000 LED streetlights and 40,000 over the next five years.

Currently there are LED pilot projects in Capitol Hill, West Seattle, and South Park. When surveyed, 85 percent of respondents approved of the new lights. This is a transition I am excited about because LEDs use less energy and the light emitted is more precise so there is no “light spillage.” This efficiency will mean reduced cost to run and maintain streetlights to the tune of $2.4 million per year, which will result in savings to you.