Wellington Shire Council will undertake a bulk replacement of more than 1400 streetlights from 1 May, as part of a Gippsland-wide project to improve energy use and safety.
The upgrade will involve the replacement of existing streetlights with new high performance and energy efficient LED lighting. By the end of the project, all streetlights in Wellington Shire will be LED.
The new lights will reduce Council's energy usage by 488,300 kWh per year, saving around 470 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per year, as well as resulting in significant cost savings.
The bulk replacement will also help Council improve compliance with Australian Standards in safety and light levels.
Wellington Shire Council Mayor Ian Bye said around 70 per cent of streetlights had already been replaced with LED lighting in 2017.
"This project will allow us to complete the remaining lights, including on major roads, with lighting that lasts longer and performs better," Cr Bye said.
"In our 2021-25 Council Plan, Climate Change was identified as our number one priority so changing our streetlighting to a more energy efficient alternative is a no-brainer for Council.
"Apart from reducing greenhouse gas emissions, changing streetlights to LED is also one of the biggest ongoing cost saving measures Council can undertake."
The streetlight upgrade project was made possible through $1,250,000 in funding from the Australian Government through the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program.
This program supports councils to deliver priority local road and community infrastructure projects across Australia, supporting jobs and the resilience of local economies to help communities bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Federal Member for Gippsland Darren Chester said the project would save approximately $9.4 million in energy and capital costs across Wellington, East Gippsland and South Gippsland Shire Councils over the assets' lifetime.
"The Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program is designed to support Council undertaking essential projects for the region to help improve community infrastructure, accessibility to services and appropriate facilities," Mr Chester said.
