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For Immediate Release: 03/09/17
Audrey Zibelman, Chair
Contact: James Denn | James.Denn@dps.ny.gov | (518) 474-7080
17021/16-E-0616
March 09, 2017
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PSC Provides Choices for Municipalities to Install Energy-Saving Street LightsMore LED Street Lighting Will Lower Taxpayer Energy Costs and Improve the Environment; Supports New York’s Clean Energy Standard and Goal to Reduce Emissions 40% by 2030 |
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ALBANY — The New York State Public Service Commission (Commission) today approved plans by Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp. and Orange and Rockland Utilities, Inc. to provide energy-efficient street lighting to municipalities that are interested in having them installed. Under the approved plans, municipalities in Central Hudson’s and O&R’s service territories have the option of switching to cost-effective light-emitting diode (LED) street lighting as a means of reducing their power expenses, and carbon footprint, and improving public safety. “The plans we have approved enable these utilities to better meet their municipal customers’ needs,” said Commission Chair Audrey Zibelman. “Historically, municipalities could only pursue LED street lighting through their willingness to take over ownership of the street lights from the utility, an expenditure and responsibility many communities found they could not afford or take on. With these new plans, municipalities will be able to achieve meaningful cost reductions while their utility retains the responsibility for maintaining the street lights.
Chair Zibelman added: “Providing municipalities with the opportunity to have more control over the energy they consume is a tenet of Governor Cuomo’s Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) and empowers local governments to lower municipal energy expenditures and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
Today’s decisions establish new LED-street lighting options and require municipal customer involvement for LED conversions. Due to improvements in technology and increased demand nationwide, converting to LED street lighting has become more economically viable. These new street light options will help municipal customers achieve noticeable bill reductions while benefiting their citizens with better lighting, lower costs and lower emissions.
The LED annual fixture charges are lower than the majority of current street lighting fixtures in the companies’ service territories. The average savings for the replaced fixtures is approximately $66, annually, per street light. There are approximately 21,000 such street lights in Central Hudson’s service territory and 24,000 such street lights in O&R’s service territory. If all street lights were to be converted, annual combined savings to municipalities in the two regions could approach $3 million.
Street lighting customers should consider their individual design objectives and make informed decisions regarding their options to upgrade to LED street lighting technology. The Commission noted that New York State Energy Research and Development Authority may provide technical assistance to municipalities in evaluating the various options. Some municipalities have determined taking ownership of the street lights is the best fit for their needs, in fact the Commission has approved 10 such sales over the past year and a half, including three in Central Hudson’s territory and three in O&R’s territory.
Central Hudson serves the mid-Hudson region and has 380,000 electric and natural gas customers. O&R serves Orange and Rockland counties, with 438,000 electric and natural gas customers. In terms of other utilities, National Grid currently offers for LED options to its company-owned street lighting customers, while NYSEG and RG&E have filed proposed LED tariff options for their company-owned street lighting customers.
About Reforming the Energy Vision
Reforming the Energy Vision is Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s strategy to lead on climate change and grow New York’s economy. REV is building a cleaner, more resilient and affordable energy system for all New Yorkers by stimulating investment in clean technologies like solar, wind, and energy efficiency and generating 50 percent of the state’s electricity needs from renewable energy by 2030. Already, REV has driven 730 percent growth in the statewide solar market, enabled over 105,000 low-income households to permanently cut their energy bills with energy efficiency, and created thousands of jobs in manufacturing, engineering, and other clean tech sectors. REV is ensuring New York State reduces statewide greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent by 2030 and achieves the internationally-recognized target of reducing emissions 80 percent by 2050. To learn more about REV, including the Governor’s $5 billion investment in clean energy technology and innovation, please visit www.ny.gov/REV4NY and follow us at @Rev4NY.
Today’s decision may be obtained by going to the Commission Documents section of the Commission’s Web site at www.dps.ny.gov and entering Case Number 16-E-0616 [Central Hudson] or 16-E-0226 [O&R] in the input box labeled "Search for Case/Matter Number". Many libraries offer free Internet access. Commission documents may also be obtained from the Commission’s Files Office, 14th floor, Three Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12223 (518-474-2500). If you have difficulty understanding English, please call us at 1-800-342-3377 for free language assistance services regarding this press release.
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