Cohoes to begin installing energy-efficient “Smart” street lights

April 11, 2022

Cohoes now owns 1,597 of its street lighting systems purchased from National Grid at a cost of $859,439. The lights will be converted to updated energy-efficient Light-Emitting Diode (LED) bulbs in “smart lighting” infrastructure. An estimated $9 Million in energy cost savings will fund the project and other “Cleaner Greener Cohoes” and “Restore Historic Cohoes” initiatives citywide

In April 2021 the Cohoes Common Council approved Mayor Bill Keeler’s proposed $6.6 million Historic Cleaner Greener Cohoes Bond initiative to finance the LED conversion project and other energy savings reinvestment initiatives. The projected $9 million in energy cost savings over 20 years will cover the cost of those bond payments.

According to officials the conversion of the 1,597 fixtures (light bulb and the “arm” light is attached to) from the current high-intensity discharge bulbs to the energy-efficient LED lights, on fixtures with smart lighting capabilities, will cost approximately $2.5 million. Portions of that energy cost savings funded the purchase of the street lights from National Grid and will further be used to cover the purchase and installation of the LEDs and maintenance of the new system.

In addition to the $2.5 Million “Green Energy Street Lighting” conversion, the Historic Cleaner Greener Cohoes Bond will fund projects including:

• $3 million Historic Anchor Building Restoration Fund initiative: to reinvest a portion of the financial gains from the LED street lighting conversion project into additional energy savings upgrades to city-owned buildings, including City Hall, the Library, and the Music Hall/Visitors Center and National Bank Building
• $750,000 Cohoes Park and Playgrounds Renewal project: A three-year program to upgrade parks and playgrounds city-wide
• $350,000 Smart Cities Technology plan: A five year program to incorporate “smart” technologies into the city’s operations to improve services, safety, and accessibility

Read more: Cohoes to begin installing energy-efficient “Smart” street lights