The Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) today approved Tampa Electric Company’s (TECO) proposal to convert street and outdoor lighting from Metal Halide (MH) and High-Pressure Sodium (HPS) lamps to energy efficient Light Emitting Diodes (LED).
“Besides using less energy, LED lights provide better visibility for improved security, they are recyclable, and the energy savings reduces TECO’s winter peak demand,” said PSC Chairman Art Graham. “The program is a win-win for TECO and its customers.”
As a Demand Side Management (DSM) program, the initiative is required to reduce electricity use through energy efficiency or conservation, or provide more efficient energy load management. The PSC determined that the five-year program advances important Florida Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act policy objectives.
Tampa, Temple Terrace, Plant City, and Winter Haven, Polk County, and the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy had asked the PSC to approve TECO’s proposal.
TECO operates approximately 242,000 street and outdoor lighting fixtures, of which 209,821 are eligible for conversion under the conservation program. Program costs–approximately $176 per fixture, or $36.9 million–will be eligible for recovery through the Energy Conservation Cost Recovery component of rates. The Commission declined TECO’s request to include advertising and notification costs.
Tampa Electric serves more than 700,000 customers in West Central Florida.
