Raleigh, N.C. is on the road to replacing about 30,000 high pressure sodium and mercury vapor street lights with LEDs.
The city is working with Duke Energy on the project and expects to save $400,000 annually with the switch. The LEDs already deployed – 1,500 in a pilot project – have been well received. Commentary at the story at www.wunc.com outlined the performance benefits the city is finding, including the whiter light and less spillage of light onto private property.
Duke will complete the project in 15 months. The story says that the savings will enable the city to light 50 miles of roadway that previously were dark.
Wilmington, Henderson, Cary and other North Carolina cities are making the switch as well, according to the story.
In its story about the project, the Triangle Business Journal notes that planning started seven years ago and that Duke is calling on American Light Products, a Georgia company. Cree, which lost in the bidding, is based in Durham, N.C.
