Emily Plihal
Local Journalism
Initiative Reporter
Northern Sunrise County Council approved at its regular meeting Aug. 27 an agreement with ATCO electric to convert 99 streetlights in the county to LED.
“ATCO has identified 99 lights to be retrofitted, and LED will provide an overall cost savings for electricity,” explains Reeve Corinna Williams, noting the lights will move from non-invested rate to invested rate.
“This means ATCO will be responsible for the maintenance and replacements of the 99 lights.”
Council had approved funds in the 2024 Capital Budget to start retrofitting lights in the County to LED, planning for the project to take three years with more money required annually.
Council had allocated $100,000 in its budget for this fiscal year.
“This is a cost savings for the county as we will no longer be responsible for maintenance of the 99 lights,” she says. “ATCO has indicated this fall or winter for the retrofits.”
In addition to eliminating the onus of maintaining the lights, the county will also experience a reduction in monthly electricity costs as a result of the conversion.
As a result of the new agreement, the majority of the $100,000 will remain unspent.
“There will be $25,000 in the budget for the lights still in the non-invested as these are in areas such as water facilities and will remain county owned,” she notes. “This is a reduction in the budget of about $75,000.”
Approximately $95,000 will also be received by ATCO to return to the general operations budget, an amount that Williams says is calculated by ATCO.
“The County receives Company Investment, as per the AUC (Alberta Utilities Commission) approved investment rate,” says Williams. “Council is continually looking at cost saving efforts and efficiencies.”