Toledo Edison completes $5.8M LED streetlight conversion project

Lineworkers from Toledo Edison finished the installation of nearly 27,000 LED streetlight fixtures throughout Toledo by the end of 2021, concluding a $5.8 million conversion project underway since 2017.

“Even in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, this LED streetlight project remained on schedule thanks to our dedicated field personnel,” Jim Veglia, director of Operations for Toledo Edison, said. “Communities across FirstEnergy service areas in Ohio and elsewhere have noticed substantial improvements in visibility and security where LED streetlighting has been installed, and we look forward to seeing how these improvements will benefit this city where we proudly live and work.”

The effort grew from a pilot program intended to replace approximately 200 conventional high-pressure sodium lamps with LEDs in Toledo’s Old South End. However, given the efficiency of the bulbs and the cost savings entailed, Toledo Edison quickly expanded the project to the rest of the city. It’s estimated that the bulbs are about 50 percent more efficient than their sodium predecessors, potentially saving the city about $580,000 each year on energy costs alone.

They should have approximately triple to quadruple the lifespan between 15-20 years. At the same time, Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz added that they are likely to help beyond the grid and related finances.

“The statistics speak for themselves. When LED lights were installed in the Old South End section of the city in 2017, violent crimes went down by 37% the following year,” Kapszukiewicz said. “I’d like to thank Toledo Edison personnel for all of their hard work to make our city brighter, safer, and more efficient for our residents.”

Completion of the major project also coincided with Toledo Edison’s centennial.