City converting all streetlights to energy efficient LEDs

In a deal with DTE Energy, MadisonHeights plans to convert all of the city’s streetlights tomore efficient lighting.

LED lights will be installed so that all 1,733 streetlights throughout the city are upgraded in a move that is expected to save the city about $84,359 a year.

City Manager Melissa Marsh said that 388 streetlights already have LED lights, which were installed in a DTE project a couple of years ago.

City Council members recently unanimously approved spending $413,000 for the new project.

The LEDupgrades will replace high-pressure sodium lights that have a higher operating cost.

City officials had a town hall meeting on the issue on Zoom earlier this month andMarsh said the response from most residents was overwhelmingly positive.

“It’s an $84,000 annual return on investment,” Marsh said. “It’s very unusual that you have something like this that is good for the budget, the environment and the safety of our residents.”

Madison Heights will get an energy optimization rebate fromDTE of $33,773.

The project will be paid off in four years, Marsh said.

After that, based on the projected lower costs, Madison Heights could be expected to save a $1 million in energy costs for streetlights over a period of about 12 years.

During a meeting with DTE officials, Marsh said they estimated the amount of energy saved is equal to what it takes to power 100 households annually.

Some of the advantages of LED lights are:

• Improved light quality for visibility and safety

•A longer life span of 15 to 20 years, about three times longer than traditional streetlights

• Reduced maintenance costs

The city can take the savings from the city’s lighting and invest them in other initiatives tomakeMadison Heights safer and more attractive to residents, visitors and businesses, Marsh said.