OPPD announced last week their five-year-plan to replace Omaha’s streetlights to LED.
The plan, starting in March of 2019, is set to replace nearly 100,000 high-pressure sodium fixtures with new LED fixtures. Superior Lighting, Inc. was awarded the contract.
LED vs. High-Pressure Sodium
Bill Swarbrick, President of Superior Lighting, Inc, says he is looking forward to the project. “Superior Lighting Inc. values its long relationship with OPPD and is honored to be selected by them to participate in their commitment to investing in the communities they serve.” OPPD has a plan of where to start, as well. Superior Lighting will begin by replacing burnt-out streetlights on main streets with the new fixtures. Completing the conversion this way is beneficial in utilizing the existing fixtures and eliminating all potential bias. After the main roads have all been converted, Superior will move to the side streets and residential areas to start upgrades.
Dodge Street
OPPD estimates this project will save 25% of total costs to light the streets. This number comes from not only the lesser amount of energy needed to power the new fixtures but also the life span of them. High-pressure sodium bulbs are designed to last around 3-5 years, a much smaller number than the LEDs, coming in at 15-20 years. The amount of servicing and maintenance combined with the energy savings make the LEDs an obvious choice.
Before vs. After
With LED fixtures, Omaha will also see a dramatic difference in reliability, with much fewer streetlight outages citywide. The new LEDs will put off a brighter, white light as opposed to the amber colored high-pressure sodium light. This will help reduce dark areas to prevent crime and increase visibility for motorists and pedestrians. “The streetlight conversion investment reduces community energy expense, makes our streets safer with brighter lighting and reduces ongoing maintenance expense,” Swarbrick said. The project is slated to kick off in March of 2019.