Jasper is moving forward with converting current higher-watt, high-pressure sodium (HPS) lighting infrastructure to lower-watt, light-emitting diode (LED) lighting after municipal council voted unanimously for the change during its Tuesday meeting.
The financial stabilization fund will be used as a source of funding to proceed with the conversion of decorative streetlights along with the LED conversion. The savings from the LED conversion will be used to replenish the financial stabilization fund.
Before that, CAO Bill Given presented further information to clarify administration’s perspective on the funding.
“At the committee last week, council asked administration to identify an appropriate source of funding to proceed with the conversion of decorative streetlights along with the LED conversion,” he said.
“If council wishes to proceed with the upgrading of the decorative streetlight heads at the same time as the overall LED conversion, the only appropriate source for the 2024 year would be the financial stabilization reserve.”
The approved 2024 budget has an expected year-end balance of that reserve of $1,075,469, which Given said offers an appropriate amount of money to manage that.
The Alberta Utilities Commission previously approved a multiplier rate for the conversion of HPS to LED, opening a door for municipalities to undertake a full-scale conversion to LED without the obstacle of large capital costs.
ATCO first started converting Jasper’s streetlights four years ago as part of a larger mission to reduce energy and maintenance expenses while increasing light fixture lifespan. The quality of the lighting is meant to be equal or better than the HPS provided before the conversion.
ATCO’s proposal offered a breakdown showing the conversion of 110 HPS lights (using 100W bulbs) to 38W LED lights would bring an annual savings of $4,001.51. An additional 76 HPS lights (using 150W bulbs) could be converted to 73W LED lights for an annual savings of $4,016.94 bringing a total annual savings of $8,018.45.
ATCO presented four options for streetlight styles during the April 16 regular council meeting. The options range from ranged in price from $1,293.75 per unit to $2,186.43 per unit. One of the options would accommodate a 55W bulb and would cost $1,581.25 per unit.
Given described that as the option seemed most consistent with the overall urban design of the townsite: “not too modern, not too old-timey,” he said.
Coun. Ralph Melnyk asked to confirm that the styles of lighting that ATCO presented were styles of lighting that would be available for the foreseeable future.
“In other words, they selected a type of fixture that we would be able to use that they felt confident they would have access to over time, so we're not going through this again in the near future,” he said during his question.
“All those items were ones that ATCO identified just as standard stock items now that they have in their repository,” Given confirmed.
“We would not face that same difficulty that we have with the ones that were unique to Jasper.”
