Charleston leaders to vote on replacing streetlights with LEDs

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – Streetlights in Charleston could soon be replaced with LEDs.

On Tuesday, Charleston City Council will vote on an agreement with Dominion Energy to replace the city’s HID light fixtures with LED lights.

According to Jason Kronsberg, the Director of the Parks Department for the City of Charleston, more than 6,800 cobra-style streetlights would be changed. The decorative, lantern lights would not be replaced.

Kronsberg said the move would save the city thousands of dollars.

“Right now, the contract does not have any cost to the city, there’s actually a cost reduction which is an incentive that Dominion is providing over five years,” Kronsberg explained. “So, if all of the lights were switched out at one time, it’s about a $9000-a-month saving to the City of Charleston.”

According to Paul Fischer, a spokesperson for Dominion, the company began offering the incentive program to municipalities in 2020. He said replacing the lights with LEDs “will save more than 3.7 million kilowatt hours of energy annually, or enough energy to power nearly 350 homes for a year.”

Kronsberg said the city would see about a five percent drop in CO2 emissions as a result. He also explained the style of the new lights is “dark skies compliant.”

If approved, officials said Dominion would begin replacement immediately. They predict it will take up to a year and a half to complete.

This story is developing and will be updated.