Southampton Town May Transition To LED Streetlights, Seeking Cost Savings

Southampton Town officials will test low-voltage street lights using light-emitting diode—or LED—bulbs, which eventually could replace most of the municipality’s 2,700 existing streetlights.

In a proposed partnership with the New York Power Authority, the town would invest roughly $1.7 million into the streetlight replacement project, which would include the cost of both materials and installation.

According to Southampton Town Parks Director Kristen Doulos, the townwide LED conversion—which would not include the municipality’s villages—would significantly reduce electricity costs and cut the town’s carbon footprint.

Town Comptroller Len Marchese said at a Town Board work session on Thursday, August 10, that a majority of the town’s cost savings would come from relocating town staff—the town’s crews would not need to maintain the lights as often, since LED lights last longer than the town’s current high-pressure sodium bulbs.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, LEDs use at least 75 percent less energy, and last 25 times longer, than incandescent lighting. This is due to the LEDs’ small size, focused light direction and the fact that LEDS release very little heat energy.

There are already LED streetlights sprinkled throughout the municipality, including on Main Street and in Good Ground Park in Hampton Bays.

According to NYPA Program Manager Jesse Scott, through the proposed partnership, NYPA would complete the designs and installation and would take on the initial $1.7 million cost of the project—which the town would pay back over an approximate eight year time period. He noted that, because of energy cost savings from the LED lights, the town expects to have saved enough money in seven years to completely pay the $1.7 million cost of the installation.

The Southampton Town Board recently agreed to attempt a “demo” trial, in which a few streetlights are switched out to the new LED bulbs to see how they would look. If the Town Board then decides to move forward, according to Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman, a special meeting of the town’s lighting district would be needed.

“I’m inclined to move forward with it,” the supervisor added.