More than 1,700 public street lights in the Mildura region have now been upgraded to energy-efficient LED technology, slashing Mildura Rural City Council’s annual street lighting electricity consumption by a third.
The upgrades were made possible through Council’s inclusion in the Lighting the Regions Stage 2 project, which is a partnership between 11 Victorian Councils, the Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance, the Victorian Government and Ironbark Sustainability.
Councillor for Environment and Sustainability Jason Modica said the upgrades would also cut Council’s energy and maintenance costs by up to $2.5 million over the next 20 years.
“This is a great result for both our community and the environment,” Cr Modica said.
“To put the power savings into perspective, the 544 megawatt hours of electricity saved is the equivalent of powering 75 average Sunraysia homes for an entire year.
“In addition to the cost savings and environmental benefits, the new LED street lights are more reliable, provide more consistent lighting and better visibility than the technologies they have replaced.”
The $2.2 million project, which was largely funded by the Australian Government through its Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program, continues Council’s progress to achieve zero net emissions for its operations and respond to the climate emergency.
In 2021, Council signed on to the largest ever renewable energy power purchase agreement by local government in Australia – the Victorian Energy Collaboration – making the switch over to electricity generated by 100 percent renewables.
