The City of Rancho Santa Margarita has partnered with Southern California Edison (SCE) to convert over 1,500 streetlights citywide to LED (light-emitting diode) lights to lower energy costs and improve lighting quality.
The City of Rancho Santa Margarita, in partnership with Southern California Edison (SCE), is replacing 1,500 existing SCE-owned streetlights with new energy-efficient light-emitting diode (LED) lights citywide. Some of the benefits of this project include improved visibility, longer light life, reduced maintenance, fewer outages, and a significant reduction of electricity needed to power street lights citywide, resulting in energy and cost savings.
This project requires no upfront costs to the City, with payback amortized over 20 years with no interest. SCE estimates an annual savings of $78,840 for years 1-20 and $107,527 from years 21 and beyond.
With 1,529 SCE-owned lights in Rancho Santa Margarita, SCE contractors will work during regular weekday business hours for approximately two weeks to complete the project. This project meets both financial and sustainability goals as set forth by the City Council for the community, lowering not only cost but also energy usage and reducing Rancho Santa Margarita’s carbon footprint.
The new LED fixtures provide superior optics compared to the older generation lights, are dark sky compliant, and more effectively direct illumination on the street surface with less light intrusion into surrounding areas. The lights also improve "visual acuity,” allowing drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists to see more clearly and with more detail during the evening hours, providing a safer night environment for residents and visitors.
For more information, contact Public Works at (949) 635-1800.