• LED Conversion

    Header Image
    LED-Streetlight.JPG

    A joint project between the City of Bellevue and Puget Sound Energy to replace 4,242 old low-pressure sodium streetlights with new, energy-efficient LED (light-emitting diode) fixtures was completed in May 2016.

    Background

    A lit street in Bellevue, Washington
    The City of Bellevue received a state grant to replace half of the city's streetlights with the longer-lasting LEDs. Puget Sound Energy owns and maintains approximately 5,600 streetlights in Bellevue; the city owns and maintains about 3,100 lights.

    Implementing the new lighting technology is an important component of the city’s Environmental Stewardship Initiative, which encourages energy retrofits and operational improvements for city facilities.

    Benefits of LEDs

    • Financial: LED lamps have a longer life, which equates to fewer lamp replacements and less maintenance and supply costs. Traditional high-pressure sodium lamps last up to 24,000 hours (about six years). LEDs can last up to 70,000 hours (more than 15 years). Sodium lamps need to be replaced every three to four years to avoid failures; the new LED fixtures are expected to offer 15 years of service.
    • Environmental: LED lights used in the conversion project use about half of the electricity of sodium lamps and require less maintenance. Both of these factors reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions. Also, there is no mercury used in the production of LED lights.
    • Remote monitoring: LED lights will allow for remote monitoring
      Difference in light quality between HPS and LED
      and controlling of the lights in the future. The system will be able to detect and report failures. It will also allow for late-night dimming, resulting in additional energy savings.
    • Quality of light: LED street lights provide more visibility, delivering improved vertical light distribution, reduced light "trespass" (both horizontally and vertically), excellent color qualities and clearer lighting. They also reduce light pollution.

    More information on LED street lights