Street Lighting Improvement Program
SSROC estabished and oversees the Street Lighting Improvement
Program to implement the recommendations of an extensive review of
street lighting undertaken by its members. There are currently 34
councils participating in the Program, ranging from southern Sydney
through to the Central Coast and Hunter. Collectively, the 226,000+
street lights in the participating councils' jurisdictions
constitute over 94% of EnergyAustralia's street lights.
The key issues that councils are seeking progress on in 2008
include:
- Public Lighting Code Compliance - ensuring
EnergyAustralia moves to full compliance with the NSW Public
Lighting Code and securing Department of Water and Energy support
for necessary revisions to the Code during the Department's current
Code review process.
- Pricing and Pricing Oversight - as of 1
January 2008, oversight of street lighting pricing is passing to
the new Australian Energy Regulator. Councils want to ensure that
their interests are properly considered as the new pricing
oversight regime is developed, and when pricing proposals for the
2009-2014 period are made later in 2008.
- Improved Technology - Councils are seeking the
adoption of a new portfolio of standard luminaires that will see
the elimination of many poorly performing lights and replacement
with more modern, robust, effective and energy efficient
alternatives. This will result in progressive improvements in the
quality of lighting and in compliance with current Australian
Standards. If fully deployed, there will also be reductions in
energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions estimated
at up to 35% compared with the current situation.
- Climate Change Fund Grant - in 2006, the
Premier of NSW awarded a $4.2 million grant to accelerate the
deployment of energy efficient lighting. Councils have secured
agreement on the use of new technology and are now seeking
agreement on full implementation.