Monterey Still Considering LED Street Lights

Monterey will likely pay more than $150,000 if it chooses to convert all 349 city street lights to LED bulbs.

Mayor Bill Wiggins said lower energy bills would help pay for the project in the long run.

“If you all recall, we had a private concern estimated that our power bill on street lights could go from $70,000 a year to $22,000 with LED’s,” Wiggins said.

Wiggins said installing 70 watt LED bulbs would cost the city $131,000.

“If we elect to go with a higher voltage LED, and we may, the price jumps to about $152,000,” Wiggins said.

Wiggins is hoping to complete other projects around town with the savings generated from a nearly completed solar energy project and by switching to LED bulbs.

“The street committee set some priorities for paving,” Wiggins said. “We could take the savings in our power bills and convince a lender to loan us a lot more money to get these paving jobs done.”

Wiggins said he would be continuing LED discussions with Volunteer Energy Cooperative officials.