Date Announced: 24 Jun 2013 Mayor Villaraigosa announces completion of largest LED street light replacement programLOS ANGELES – Mayor Villaraigosa has announced the completion the largest light-emitting diode (LED) street light replacement program in the world. With the support of the Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI) and the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40), Los Angeles has retrofitted 141,089 street lights with LED bulbs.“Completing the largest LED streetlight retrofit project is a win-win-win,” said Mayor Villaraigosa. “This project cuts LA’s energy use by more than two-thirds, saves taxpayers millions of dollars, and reduces LA’s carbon emissions by more than 47,000 metric tons every year.”Before the program, the city’s street lights consumed 168 gigawatt hours of electricity at an annual cost of $15 million, while emitting 110,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide. The new lights now reduce energy use by 63.1 percent and reduce carbon emissions by 47,583 metric tons a year.“Mayor Villaraigosa understands that if we green our cities, we can green our planet,” said President Bill Clinton. “Individually, projects like the LED streetlights program can transform a community. Collectively, they can set new global standards for positive urban development.”The carbon emission reduction from the LED program is a major contributor to Los Angeles’ nearly 30 percent reduction in emissions since 1990, which is larger than any other city in the nation. The program is also saving the city more than $7 million dollars, and that number will continue to rise as the program matures.The project is a result of collaboration between the mayor’s Office, the Bureau of Street Lighting, and C40’s Outdoor Lighting Program in partnership with the Clinton Climate Initiative. A 2008 review allowed CCI to generate information on the latest technology, financing strategies and public private implementation models for LED retrofits. The C40-CCI’s modeling and technology analysis, as well as its financial advisory, served as key reference sources for the development of the comprehensive retrofit plan."The Street Lighting LED retrofit has exceeded our initial program goals by achieving more than 63 percent energy efficiency and has made our city safer at night," said Ed Ebrahimian, Director of Bureau of Street Lighting.The project cost $57 million over four years and was funded through a $40 million loan from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) which will be paid entirely through savings in energy and maintenance costs by over the next seven years. Once the loan is repaid, the City will begin to save $10 million/year. Additionally, $16.39 million in LADWP rebate funds and $3.5 million from the Street Lighting Maintenance Assessment Fund were used.
Contact
Paola Valdivia 213-978-0741
E-mail:[email protected]
Web Site:www.lacity.org
