Newport considers switching over 3,200 streetlights to LED

Lights on Newport Beach city streets might soon have a brighter, whiter hue.

The City Council on Tuesday will consider a staff recommendation to retrofit 3,224 of the city’s 5,000 streetlights to light emitting diode (LED) fixtures, which are said to be more energy-efficient and last longer than the existing high-pressure sodium bulbs.

In 2013, the city partnered with The Energy Network, a group that evaluates where public agencies can implement projects for energy efficiency. The Energy Network determined that Newport Beach could save money on energy bills and maintenance costs by changing the lights on streets the group identified, according to a city staff report.

The conversion to LED bulbs, which last about 15 years, would save the city more than $155,000 annually on energy and maintenance, the staff report states.

The current bulbs emit light with a yellow hue and usually burn out in three to five years, which requires the city to spend about $55,000 a year on maintenance, according to George Murdoch, the city’s general manager for utilities.

The city already has LED fixtures on Irvine Avenue and Bayside Drive. LED lights in more of the city also will mean a reduction in greenhouse emissions equal to removing 2,870 vehicles from the road, according to data presented in the staff report.

“This is really a great project,” Murdoch said. “There are so many advantages to LED ... it’s a win-win.”

The conversion initially will require the city to spend about $1.2 million from the general fund, but once the project is complete, Southern California Edison will reimburse nearly half the cost. The rest — estimated at nearly $617,000 — will be funded through an Edison program that enables public agencies to finance energy-efficient projects with no interest and to pay back the loan as part of their utility bills.

Murdoch said it will take the city about four years to pay back the loan. The annual savings from the LED bulbs will cover that cost, Murdoch said.

“We think it’s a no-brainer in terms of savings and the efficiency of the lights,” City Manager Dave Kiff said.

If the council approves the switch-out Tuesday, the project could begin in about four months and last up to six months.

Before making their decision, council members will receive information from staff about the proposal during a study session beginning at 3:30 p.m.

The council’s regular meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 100 Civic Center Drive.