Danbury is reallocating funding that's not needed for the 2012 revaluation and putting it toward a street light conversion program to LED lighting. Danbury is working with ESCO, Energy Services Company, to figure out how to develop and implement such a program. The initial phase of the project is a comprehensive audit of the street lights in Danbury.
The cost of the audit will become part of the conversion project if Danbury moves forward with the program. If the City decides not to move forward, or uses a different company, Danbury will be responsible to pay ESCO up to $50,000 for the audit. There is little more than $75,000 in the 2012 Revaluation account.
The study is expected to take up to six months.
ESCO will help Danbury obtain certain files from Eversource Energy including street light asset inventory, maintenance history and Eversource's proposed acquisition costs.
The audit will also look into the financial, operational, and energy analyses of the feasibility for implementing the program. The report will include existing conditions of the lights, projected costs, expected energy and maintenance savings, financing options and a proposed implementation plan.
Councilman Duane Perkins noted that some lighting have power that goes to a ballaster and could be redirected to a bulb. Public Works Director Antonio Iadarola says they will likely be replacing the complete cobra head to a modern, efficient LED fixture which has a long lifespan and gives better illumination.
