LED, underground cable makes for reliability in cyclone zone: WALGA

Cyclone-affected towns in the North West will have a more safe and reliable power supply as a result of combined projects providing underground power and LED streetlights, according to the WA Local Government Association.

With funding received from the Australian Government and as part of Horizon Power-led Pilbara Underground Power Project (PUPP), parts of the Town of Port Hedland and the City of Karratha will both receive underground power incorporating LED street lighting.

WALGA president Lynne Craigie said the project delivered 556 LED lights to the South Hedland and Wedgefield areas in the Town of Port Hedland, with estimated annual energy and cost savings of $40,700 and 208,500kWh.

She said the project was an important pilot to demonstrate not only the benefits of LED technology for street lighting, such as reduced energy use and greenhouse gas emissions and improved community security and safety, but also to highlighting the institutional and policy barriers to further uptake of the technology.

“With the Australian Government funding we recognised an opportunity to incorporate LED street lighting in areas which historically had high rates of maintenance associated with both prevailing seasonal weather conditions and incidents of vandalism,” Cr Craigie said.

“Through this funding, in partnership with the City of Karratha, the Town of Port Hedland and Horizon Power, the Rural and Regional LED Street lighting Project has sought to reduce energy and maintenance costs and greenhouse emissions.

“In addition, it provides an opportunity to increase community awareness of LED technology and to highlight the barriers to its broad scale adoption in street lighting.

“The project will also improve community amenity and reduce anti-social behaviour.”

Cr Craigie said WALGA was aware of a number of barriers to bulk replacement of streetlights with LED technology including limited transparency in tariffs and some service providers reluctant to pass on cost savings to councils.

“WALGA will continue to work through these issues and advocate to ensure that local governments and their communities can maximise the economic, environmental and public amenity benefits of energy efficient street lighting,” she said.