Starkville Utilities workers are bathing city streets in a new light.
The department is phasing out the city’s 2,583 street and 1,737 security lights, which utilize high-pressure sodium bulbs, with light-emitting diode fixtures.
All new city installations now receive the LED fixtures, SU General Manager Terry Kemp said, and workers replace existing lights with new fixtures when they break or blow.
Workers have replaced 255 lights, and Kemp said approximately 737 fixtures have been purchased for the effort.
The utilities department will step up the transition’s efforts this year by identifying neighborhoods with the oldest lights — those that are more likely to fail soon — and scheduling wholesale changeovers, he said.
“When an old one goes out, a new one goes in,” Kemp said. “We’re replacing lumens for lumens (the amount of light produced), and these new fixtures have the capability of equal distribution of light. You’re seeing a much crisper, white light, and you’re getting more light in an area. It’s a better situation, and so far the customer feedback has been very, very positive.”
Not including labor and other costs, the LED lights range from $90 to $385 per fixture, depending on the wattage — workers are installing 100- and 250-watt devices — and design.
The costs are offset, however, by energy savings, the new lights’ expected lifetime — about 50,000 hours — and the security produced by the improved visibility, Kemp said.
“We’ll get about 10 times the amount of life out of these new lights. If you look at energy, they’re about less than one-third of the cost (to run). Then there’s the maintenance savings and the overall value of simply improving the lighting,” he said. “They’re a real value to the city and our customers.”
Kemp said customers are encouraged to report broken or non-functioning street lights to SU by calling the department or using its website, www.starkvilleelectric.com. Residents should be prepared to list the pole’s location and identifying number.
Depending on the department’s workload, street lights can transitioned to the new implements in one or two days, he said.
“A lot of times, you don’t know the light is out today unless you’re out that evening. The customers are the ones that let us know, and we appreciate their feedback,” he said.
Scammers targeting residents
SU is also warning customers not to fall prey to scammers, as new reports of false collection attempts have grown in the recent weeks.
The department does not call its customers and demand payment for bills over the phone, Kemp said, and any attempt for over-the-phone collections should be reported to SU or the Starkville Police Department.
“We don’t do business that way. This is all about awareness. If someone calls our customers and demands money in an urgent manner, that should alert them (to a potential scam),” he said. “We encourage our customers not to give out any personal information — credit card numbers, bank account information or anything. Anytime someone is giving the impression that they’re from the utility department, take their name and number, and then call us.”
Customers who think they may have received a scam collection call can contact SU at 662-323-3133 or SPD at 662-323-4131.
Carl Smith covers Starkville and Oktibbeha County for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter @StarkDispatch
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