SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Indiana Michigan Power (I&M) is partnering with the city of South Bend to upgrade streetlights that I&M owns and operates as part of the company’s Public Efficient LED Streetlight Project.
I&M crews and business partners will convert more than 8,000 streetlights along public roadways at no cost to the city of South Bend or its residents. Conversion work started earlier this month and is expected to finish this fall, depending on weather.
I&M Lineworker installs a new LED streetlight in the City of South Bend.
The LED streetlights will help improve safety and visibility on public streets and across South Bend’s neighborhoods. The upgraded streetlights provide more direct and focused lighting along public roadways – increasing driver and pedestrian visibility with significantly less glare.
“I am excited to partner with I&M to bring better visibility to our neighborhoods and roadways in South Bend,” Mayor James Mueller said. “Enhancing community safety in the City of South Bend is a top priority. This technology being deployed in the LED Streetlight Project is better for the environment and will make our streets safer for our residents, drivers and pedestrians.”
The LED streetlights being installed can last up to 10 to 12 years. This is four to six times longer than the current high-pressure sodium streetlights. The bulbs also use 40% to 65% less energy compared to existing streetlights. I&M estimates South Bend’s upgrade to LEDs will reduce electricity use for streetlights nearly 2.1 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) annually, which is enough energy to power 219 homes.
“Indiana Michigan Power is dedicated to utilizing advanced technology to improve the lives of our customers in the communities where we live and work,” said William Tokash, I&M’s manager of Clean Energy Solutions. “We are proud to partner with the city of South Bend to provide efficient and safe LED streetlights the city and its citizens can take advantage of for decades to come.”
Through May 2022, I&M has installed just over 18,000 new LED streetlights across the service area under the I&M Public Efficient LED Streetlight Project, which is available to all eligible municipalities in Indiana within I&M’s service area. I&M is partnering with 46 municipalities across Indiana, including Elkhart, Muncie, Marion and Yorktown to name a few.
I&M encourages communities and cities interested in upgrading to LED streetlights who have not already been contacted to reach out to their local community affairs manager:
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Indiana Michigan Power (I&M) is headquartered in Fort Wayne, and its approximately 2,100 employees serve more than 600,000 customers. More than 80% of its energy delivered in 2021 was emission-free. I&M has at its availability various sources of generation including 2,278 MW of nuclear generation in Michigan, 450 MW of purchased wind generation from Indiana, more than 22 MW of hydro generation in both states and approximately 35 MW of large-scale solar generation in both states. The company’s generation portfolio also includes 2,620 MW of coal-fueled generation in Indiana.
American Electric Power, based in Columbus, Ohio, is powering a cleaner, brighter energy future for its customers and communities. AEP’s approximately 16,700 employees operate and maintain the nation’s largest electricity transmission system and more than 224,000 miles of distribution lines to safely deliver reliable and affordable power to 5.5 million regulated customers in 11 states. AEP also is one of the nation’s largest electricity producers with approximately 30,000 megawatts of diverse generating capacity, including more than 6,100 megawatts of renewable energy. The company’s plans include growing its renewable generation portfolio to approximately 50% of total capacity by 2030. AEP is on track to reach an 80% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from 2000 levels by 2030 and has committed to achieving net zero by 2050. AEP is recognized consistently for its focus on sustainability, community engagement, and diversity, equity and inclusion. AEP’s family of companies includes utilities AEP Ohio, AEP Texas, Appalachian Power (in Virginia and West Virginia), AEP Appalachian Power (in Tennessee), Indiana Michigan Power, Kentucky Power, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, and Southwestern Electric Power Company (in Arkansas, Louisiana, east Texas and the Texas Panhandle). AEP also owns AEP Energy, which provides innovative competitive energy solutions nationwide. For more information, visit aep.com.