KINGSTON >> A streetlight leasing plan from Central Hudson Gas & Electric Company could cost the city approximately between $385,000 and $830,000 a year, according to figures supplied by the utility.
The company is expected to offer its leasing plan of energy-saving, LED streetlights beginning in July.
Meanwhile, Kingston has hired a consultant to produce an engineering report on the installation of purchased LED streetlights.
As of now, the city spends $535,000 a year on streetlight costs.
Preliminary estimates have suggested that a purchasing streetlight program would cost about $1.4 million.
Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp. is offering four different leasing plans.
The cheapest one, which would include 39-watt lights, would cost a total of $384,891 if the city were to replace all 2,400 of its old streetlight fixtures with those LEDs.
Each LED 39-Watt fixture costs $147.11 to lease which includes maintenance, according to Central Hudson. That cost does not include electricity.
The 39-watt fixture would use 156 kilowatt hours a year. Normally, a streetlight energy cost is 8.5 cents a kilowatt hour, according to John Maserjian, a company spokesman.
The total actual electricity cost for the 39-Watt lamp would be $31,824.
The most expensive leasing plan, which would include a 153-watt lamp, would cost the city $830,640.
Each of those lamps would cost $294.08 for leasing and maintenance.
That lamp would use 612 kilowatt hours a year, according to Central Hudson. The cost for electricity, if all those lights were installed, would be $124,842 a year.
Central Hudson said last week that the LED fixtures will be offered for lease starting in July.
“LED streetlights use about half the amount of electricity as conventional high-efficiency streetlights, last four to five times longer and can save municipalities on energy costs while lowering overall emissions and protecting the environment,” James P. Laurito, president of Central Hudson, said in a press release.
The LED fixtures being offered by Central Hudson are manufactured by Cree Inc. of Durham, N.C. They cost about twice the amount of conventional fixtures but have an expected life of 50,000 hours, or nearly 12 years, reducing maintenance costs, Central Hudson says.
As is the case with conventional streetlights, LED streetlights leased from Central Hudson by municipalities will be owned and maintained by the utility for a monthly fee, plus the cost of the electricity.
“Because LED streetlights use less electricity [the conventional one], total costs would be lower than those of existing fixtures,” the company said. “Municipalities throughout the Mid-Hudson Valley could, together, save more than $900,000 in energy costs each year if all 25,000 existing leased streetlights were replaced [with LEDs], reducing electricity use by the equivalent of powering nearly 400 homes, and avoiding nearly 2,900 tons in CO2 emissions annually.”
Central Hudson said its goal is to replace existing fixtures with LED units for all interested municipalities within five years.
In Kingston, the Common Council and Mayor Shayne Gallo have hired engineering company C.T. Male of Latham for $105,000 to produce a report on the city potentially buying and installing LED fixtures. That report is not yet complete.
Gallo said the Central Hudson proposal does not seem right for the city but that he’ll wait for the C.T. Male report before forming a more definitive opinion.
Council members say the city should examine all options, including leasing the LED units from Central Hudson.
Alderman Matthew Dunn, D-Ward 1, who is the council’s majority leader, said that the newest Central Hudson program should be examined in more detail.
Dunn said the job of the council is to get the best deal “to maximize the benefit to taxpayers.”
Related content
“Central Hudson says Kingston can lease LED streetlight fixtures,” March 19, 2015
“Kingston council authorizes borrowing $105K for LED streetlight plan,” Feb. 3, 2015
“Kingston council approves LED light design work but not the funding for it,” Jan. 7, 2015
“City of Poughkeepsie to replace streetlights with energy-saving LED units,” Dec. 25, 2014
“Kingston lawmakers split over borrowing $100K to hire LED streetlight consultant,” Dec. 15, 2014
“Kingston lawmakers will weigh $100K design plan for energy-efficient street lights,” Nov. 21. 2014
“Kingston told cost of installing energy-efficient streetlights rises by $500,000,” Sept. 1, 2014
“Cost of Kingston’s LED streetlight project grows by $500,000,” June 16, 2014
“Kingston Common Council member: street light consultant is ‘wasteful spending’,” March 17, 2014
