$1.1M grant to help streetlights in rural Utah towns go green

SALT LAKE CITY — Some rural Utah towns are using state dollars to 'go green' as they make the switch to high-tech night lighting.

The Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems Smart Energy initiative Wednesday received a Utah State Energy Program Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant of $1.1 million.

The grant will enable 14 UAMPS member municipalities to retrofit a portion of their existing streetlights with new, energy-efficient LED lamps and fixtures.

"Our goal is to get new technology into the marketplace and make it affordable for ratepayers and citizens of Utah," said Jason Berry, state energy program manager. "With those savings, these municipalities will invest in more energy efficiency … it's a positive feedback cycle that will save not only money, but (also) energy for the state of Utah."

Based in Salt Lake City, UAMPS is a nonprofit agency that provides wholesale electricity to 52 community-owned power systems throughout the West, including in Utah, Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon and Wyoming.

The participating members include the cities of Eagle Mountain, Enterprise, Ephraim, Fillmore, Holden Town, Hurricane, Monroe, Morgan, Oak City, Parowan, Payson, Santa Clara and Springville, as well as Heber Light & Power.

The grants are awarded through a competitive application process. UAMPS was the first organization selected to receive this award through the program.

While the newer technology lighting does cost more up front, the long-term operational cost is much less than traditional lighting, Berry said.

"The savings with the LED lights range anywhere from 20 percent to 50 percent," he said. The life expectancy for the old lamps was about 24,000 hours compared to 92,000 hours for the new LED lights.

As part of the conservation effort, participating members will also develop a disposal plan for the old lamps, as well as a recycling plan for the old fixtures.

Over the long run, the implementation of the program will help the participating cities in numerous ways, according to UAMPS general manager Doug Hunter.

"With the savings (the municipalities) will get … they're going to take that money and plow right back into their energy efficiency program in each of the individual cities," Hunter said. "This is really the investment that will feed those programs down the road."

e-mail: jlee@desnews.com