Federal economic stimulus funds channeled through the V.I. Energy Office will allow WAPA to install a new street-lighting system designed to reduce local energy and maintenance costs.
WAPA’s selection of CIMCON Software’s LightingGale Streetlight Management and Monitoring System made national news Monday, with the company reporting that the system will be installed on 14,000 streetlights on St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix, using nearly $1.7 million of a $2.5 million American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) grant award.
The system will reportedly allow WAPA to save money by turning the streetlights on only when they’re needed. The system’s wireless and mapping capabilities will allow WAPA personnel to monitor the streetlights remotely and determine if they need maintenance, according to a release from the company.
The system will be installed on 600 streetlights on St. John, 4,400 lights on St. Thomas and 9,000 lights on St. Croix.
"The LightingGale system will eliminate the need for a maintenance crew to conduct late night patrols of streetlights, leading to significant savings in energy, maintenance and operational costs," the release said, adding that the system will also add to WAPA’s cost savings once the utility moves ahead with plans to replace 1,200 of its current streetlights with LED lights, which will be funded with the remaining $820,000 from the ARRA grant.
