Over 4,000 wooden BC Hydro poles will soon be topped with new, efficient LED bulbs as part of a replacement project. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

night light

Thousands more Nanaimo street lights to be converted to LED in coming months

Aug 6, 2021 | 6:08 AM

NANAIMO — BC Hydro’s wooden poles topped with inefficient orange-glowing street lights in Nanaimo are scheduled to be upgraded by the end of the year.

The substantial project involves switching out Hydro’s nearly 4,300 high-pressure sodium lights attached to poles all over Nanaimo with LED lights, Hydro spokesperson Karla Louwers said.

She said most of those lights are slated to be replaced by early December.

“LED’s (light-emitting diodes) are a more efficient light using less energy and they are also more of a direct light. You’re able to light the area you’re looking to have lit instead of having that light spill over into other areas.”

Louwers said federal regulations require all older inefficient lights known as PCB’s to no longer be in use in Canada by the end of 2025.

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She said their ongoing street light project to rely on longer lasting and more effective lights is ongoing all over the province.

“Lights like LED’s do help improve public safety by increasing the visibility of sidewalks, roads and those areas that you want illuminated.”

Less maintenance and cheaper replacement costs are other positives of LED lights, Louwers said.

She noted different kinds of the lights are available to best match a particular setting.

The City of Nanaimo has about 4,100 street lights, some of which are being converted to LED.

The City anticipates the final half of a six phase LED street light replacement project to be completed in 2024.

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ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes