National Grid must allow LED streetlights in Andover
Editor, Townsman:
I liked the well researched letter from Frank Licata and your equally thoughtful editorial note on why LEDs are not being adopted for Andover's street lights. The note said that National Grid (NGRID) contends "LED lighting is fairly new in the industry and at some point we may offer LED lighting ...." How many cities does it take for NGRID to change a light bulb? My database lists 1,032 in every state except West Virginia, all Canadian territories and provinces and 70 countries. LA has installed more than 58,000 LED street lights, Seattle saved more than $250,000 last year by installing more than 5,000.
NGRID says, "All our lighting options are governed by the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities, and we currently do not have an approved lighting rate which includes LED lighting." NGRID could trot its way to the PUC and seek a tariff. PG&E has had one for quite some time. Michigan's Commission requires utilities to develop LED tariffs.
Finally NGRID's failure to allow use of its poles to house LED luminaires violates anti-trust law, namely the US Supreme Court's decision in the Ottertail Power case and its progeny. Public utilities must allow competitor access to their facilities. Utilities like PG&E and Detroit Edison comply with the law by allowing use of their poles.
In Billings, Montana, where I live, our utility too prevents use of its poles. It also is overcharging for outdated, energy-hog lighting. If the overcharge were eliminated and applied to install efficient LEDs here, within three to six years (depending on whether we use cobrahead or pole top LEDs) the street lighting part of many property tax bills would go down by 82 to 88 percent.
Let me know if your local attorneys need help convincing NGRID of the unconscionable err of its ways.
Russell L. Doty
CEO/General Counsel
New World WindPower LLC
Billings, Montana
