City square lit with LED lights

You need to spend money to make money, an old saying goes.

In the city of Chardon’s case, money was spent to help save it — in the long run.

The city recently purchased 23 LED streetlights as part of a FirstEnergy program.

The lights, which were installed last week around Chardon Square, cost $335 apiece.

They replaced pressure sodium lights, which each cost the city an average of $18 per month to operate, according to a 2016 photometric study prepared for the city by Denk & Associates

Consulting Engineers.

“The new LED fixtures, with lower foot-candles, can achieve the same level of brightness with a whiter light and are estimated to cost the $9.80 per month to operate,” Chardon Public Service Director Paul Hornyak said. “This equates to a cost of $118 per year, per light to operate versus $216 per year for the high-sodium lamps.

“Over the course of a year, the city can expect to save nearly 50 percent in operating cost per year, for every streetlight fixture that is converted to LED. … Based on the savings, the new fixtures will pay for themselves within 3.5 years.”

In addition to financial benefits, the new and improved lighting layout also creates a safer environment, Hornyak said.

The installation puts the community in a unique position, according to Christopher Eck, a FirstEnergy spokesman.

“This is the first installation of LED streetlights under The Illuminating Company’s new LED municipal streetlight option,” he said.

The LED streetlight program — officially known as the LED Streetlight Tariff — began in 2015.

The savings depends on the mix and quantity of streetlights in a given community, Eck said.

“The community would need to evaluate (the) conversion cost versus the energy savings to determine their individual payback,” he said.

LED streetlights are expected to have a service life of at least 10 years before needing replacement. In comparison, traditional streetlights have a standard service life of 3.5 to 4 years.

“This should mean fewer burnt out streetlights, reduced maintenance costs and fewer service calls,” Eck said.

SUBMITTED FirstEnergy crews recently installed LED lights around Chardon Square.