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Lancaster takes ownership of its own streetligts

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During a recent city council meeting, Lancaster voted to approve a plan to purchase nearly all of the city’s streetlights from Southern California Edison (SCE). The plan takes advantage of SCE’s recently initiated program to voluntarily sell off streetlight systems to local entities. Lancaster is the first such entity to participate.

“We are extremely excited to be the first city to step up and take control of our streetlight system from Edison,” said Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris. “Lancaster is known as a trendsetter in alternative energy efficiencies and innovative technology implementations, and we will continue to pursue progressive steps toward Net-Zero realization.”

The city will pay $12.2 million for the purchase of 17,856 streetlights within Lancaster’s boundaries. With the plan now approved, the city will begin transitioning to a system which allows it to own and maintain the streetlights, while SCE continues to own, service and provide the power supply to the electrical lines running to the poles.

A substantial amount of what the city currently spends through its Lighting Maintenance District will be eliminated by way of in-house maintenance of the system. This cost savings will finance the initial acquisition of the streetlights from SCE. The approval process by the California Public Utilities Commission for this transaction should take between nine to 12 months, after which a rapid transition of ownership and maintenance will occur.

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