LED street lights in Halifax could cost $47M

If Halifax decides to change its streetlights to LED bulbs, a new report says it will cost about $47 million.

Early estimates had set the cost around $40 million, but city staff say it may take more time to complete than originally projected.

"We had to project what Nova Scotia Power's rates are going to be," said Greg Keefe, Halifax's Chief Financial Officer.

"Now, we think that's relative. If they raise the rates for these it would have raised the rates for the old ones, we'd still think we'd get the savings."

In addition to taking up to a decade to complete, Keefe says there are other concerns.

"What are we going to find when we start climbing those poles? All kinds of things you're going to find as you start fixing 40-some odd thousand lights."

The new LED lamps allow street lights to be dimmed or brightened depending on the circumstances.