Alectra Utilities providing $750,000 for Guelph to switch to LED streetlights

Ontario Construction News staff writer

The City of Guelph will receive $750,400 from Alectra Utilities’ Save on Energy program to switch nearly 13,000 of Guelph’s streetlights to Light Emitting Diode (LED).

“This is great news for Guelph—both the city and our community,” saod Bryan Ho-Yan, manager of Corporate Energy and Climate Change. “As we work towards our goal of using 100 per cent renewable energy by 2050 for the city’s energy needs, incentives like the Save on Energy program help reduce upfront costs.”

Since October 2019, the LED streetlight upgrades have saved the municipality an estimated $400,000 in electricity costs and three million kilowatt-hours in energy, equivalent to powering 333 houses for a year.

Funds from the Save on Energy program will go towards costs associated with the $9-million city-wide transition to LED streetlights. These upgrades are expected to save the City $14.8 million over a 15-year period and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 189 tonnes per year—equivalent to taking 58 cars off the road.

“Our energy experts are committed to working with our municipal partners to achieve their green infrastructure goals,” said Brian Bentz, President and CEO, Alectra Inc. “This work is an important part of our efforts to build a clean energy future in our communities.”

The LED streetlight project supports the city’s strategic plan: Guelph. Future-ready which includes investing in green infrastructure to help mitigate Guelph’s impact on climate change.

The Save on Energy program is a non-profit organization that ensures the reliability of Ontario’s power system, provides incentives for eligible businesses and residents of Ontario to help support them in reducing their energy use.

“The switch to LED streetlights is a win-win for our city, saving us millions of dollars in electricity costs and reducing carbon emissions by hundreds of tonnes. I’m thrilled that it has also earned us these funds from the provincial Save on Energy program,” said Mayor Cam Guthrie.

“Council made a commitment to tackle climate change and initiatives like this one show how we are not only reducing carbon emissions but saving on operating costs.”