PG&E teams with San Luis Obispo to save money and electricity

LED streetlights improve safety, last longer and earn city a $150K energy rebate check from PG&E

February 5, 2014


San Luis Obispo, California— New energy-efficient, LED streetlights continue to produce real benefits for San Luis Obispo and its residents. The latest benefit is a $150,000 energy rebate check that Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) representatives provided on Feb. 4, 2014 to members of the City Council.


During a six-week period last summer, PG&E and San Luis Obispo partnered in replacing more than 2,100 city streetlight fixtures with more energy-efficient lighting. As of result of these new lights, community members now enjoy better color distinction and clarity on the streets at night, enhancing driver, pedestrian and public safety. The city is also decreasing its energy use and saving money, resulting in lower electric bills and a reduced carbon footprint.


The new LED or light-emitting diode street lights use significantly less energy than the street lights they replaced. And lights that normally would need to be replaced every 10 years can last as long as 25 years.


"This project represents a real win-win for the city and the environment," said PG&E customer service director Pat Mullen during the presentation at City Hall. "The decision to go with LED fixtures is helping the city save money, use less electricity, improve safety and decrease greenhouse gas emissions. Those are real benefits for all of us who live here, made possible by the city's leadership in finding new ways to become more energy-efficient."


The PG&E rebate will help San Luis Obispo offset the expense of upgrading the streetlights, which are expected to save the city more than $100,000 in energy costs each year. The resulting decrease in energy consumption is equivalent to a carbon dioxide reduction of 400,000 pounds a year.


Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric utilities in the United States. Based in San Francisco, with 20,000 employees, the company delivers some of the nation's cleanest energy to 15 million people in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit www.pge.com/about/newsroom/ and www.pgecurrents.com.