P-J file photo

The Jamestown Board of Public Utilities is continuing to make LED light changes in its electric territory.

The BPU board approved a resolution to convert 1,000 high-pressure sodium fixtures and bulbs to energy-efficient LED units this year. The conversion follows the 1,142 fixtures and bulbs the BPU converted last year. Of the 1,142 lights changes, 765 were 150-watt and 377 were 400-watt lights.

According to the board, after this year’s conversion is completed, there will only be 700 high-pressure sodium fixtures remaining in the city. During this year’s conversion, 1,000 additional LED lights will be added in six areas of the city and the southern half of Celoron. Last year the light changes occurred along major corridors like Main, Second, Buffalo, Baker and Washington streets and along Foote and Fairmount avenues. Also, the lights were changed in five neighborhoods in the city.

BPU General Manager David L. Leathers said the changes will start in April and it will take about six weeks to complete. Leathers said the one-mill adder through the BPU’s energy-efficiency programs will fund the project.

The one-mil adder takes .001 cent from every billed kilowatt hour to go toward the BPU’s energy-efficiency programs. According to the resolution, the BPU is contracting with GoTTogo Electric Inc. of LeRoy to purchase the cobra-head light fixtures for 150-watt and 400-watt bulbs for $200,000.

The first LED light conversion was paid for through a state grant city officials received in 2016 for $555,000 from the Department of State Division of Local Government Services, which was approved by the state Financial Restructuring Board for Local Governments.

In August 2018, it was announced during a BPU meeting that city officials are saving more than $6,000 a month on energy costs because of the first LED light conversion.