Energy-efficient street lights being installed

Credit: MAX ODEN / DOTHAN EAGLE

City of Dothan employee Ray Stephens installs an LED street light on West Main Street Wednesday morning.

By: Jim Cook | Dothan Eagle
Published: February 22, 2012

New energy-efficient streetlights are going up on West Main Street, reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

Richard Ash, electric operations supervisor for Dothan Utilities, said the street lights were purchased for the city through a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, aimed at pursuing energy efficiency to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The grant was for $600,000. About $100,000 of that is being used for the streetlights.

The new streetlights are 157-watt LED lights and replace 250-watt high pressure sodium bulbs. Ash said the new lights use less electricity and will last longer than the old sodium bulbs. According to Lighting Orient, an LED light manufacturer, LED lights provide 50 to 60 percent energy savings over traditional sodium bulbs. They may also appear brighter than the old bulbs because they emit white, rather than yellow light.

Dothan Utilities workers are currently installing about 68 lights from the intersection of West Main Street at Ross Clark Circle to Montana Street. Lights have also been installed on Westgate Parkway and Honeysuckle Road. Installation should be complete in about two weeks.

Ash said the city has not started buying LED lights on its own, but likely will once the price of the lights starts coming down.