City reaps rewards with traffic signal rebate

Torus Tammer

FOUNTAIN VALLEY -- The city is poised to snatch substantial savings as

the first participant in the statewide California LED Traffic Signal

Rebate Program.

The program was designed to reduce peak energy demand during the

summer months by replacing the regular bulbs in traffic lights with more

energy efficient bulbs known as light-emitting diodes. As an added

incentive, Southern California Edison, which operates the program, has

agreed to give the city a full rebate on the purchase price of the units.

Jose Alire, the city’s associate engineer, said the city was fortunate

to be the first in line for the program.

“The city was looking at conserving energy for our traffic signals

anyway,” Alire said. “We happened to have our figures ready right as

Edison came out with this rebate program, so we submitted an application

and were the first ones accepted.”

All the bids the city has received from light bulb manufacturers have

come in at or below the rebate amount, Alire said.

The city will receive a full refund for the cost of the LED traffic

signals as long as they are installed and functional by June 1, said

David Ned Smith, Edison’s vice president of major customers.

“It will result in substantial savings for the city and its

residents,” he said.

The city expects to save about $56,000 annually.

Because the entire $166,430 purchase price will be rebated, the city

will be required to pay only $14,000 -- the cost of labor to install the

units. Alire said the city expects the units to be delivered by early

December and installed by January.