Mass. Streetlight LED Conversion to Save $500K, 3 Million kWh

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Officials this week announced they will install LED lighting at state parks and recreation areas—a move expected to save $500,000 a year.

Gov. Charlie Baker announced the conversion this week in celebration of Earth Day.

Baker said over 4,500 street and outdoor lights at Department of Conservation and Recreation will be replaced with energy efficient light-emitting diode fixtures. The project is expected to save 3 million kilowatt hours—equivalent to providing electricity for 395 homes. It will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 1,000 metric tons, equal to taking 223 cars off the road each year.

In a statement, Baker said the move is “an illustration of Massachusetts’ unrelenting commitment to energy efficiency and conserving the Commonwealth’s financial and energy resources.

“This program highlights the type of strategic investments necessary to ensure a clean energy and environmental future for generations to come,” Baker said.

Phase I of the project began on March 2 and includes the retrofit of approximately 2,000 cobrahead and shoebox luminaries. It’s expected to be completed by the summer. Phase II, which will be put out to bid this summer, will retrofit an additional 2,500 fixtures.