62K smart streetlights coming to regional NSW

Over the next three years, Ausgrid will be deploying more than 62,000 LED streetlights on main roads across regional NSW.

The move has been instigated by the Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (SSROC) along with 29 local councils. It has been welcomed by Lighting Council Australia, which describes it as Australia’s biggest smart street lighting upgrade.

The regional rollout, scheduled to be complete in 2026, follows an upgrade to the metropolitan area of Sydney during which it received over 200,000 LED streetlights.

Lighting Council Australia Environment and Public Affairs Manager Will Houtsma said it was high time that street lighting in both metro and rural areas was upgraded to the new technology.

“This comes at a time when LED technology is the most dominant type of lighting product on the market. LEDs are more energy efficient, have longer life spans, [and] are more durable and more environmentally friendly than traditional lighting products such as halogen globes,” Houtsma said.

As a result of the upgrades, it is expected that the total energy consumption of Ausgrid-managed streetlights will decrease by 62% in 2026. The new LED streetlights will also be capable of being dimmed via smart controls during off-peak periods. If implemented, this new technology could further increase the energy efficiency of streetlights while preventing the impact of excessive light pollution on native flora and fauna.

Lighting Council Australia also said the upgrades would improve the safety of NSW’s major roads and highways.

Image credit: iStock.com/Daviles