Southport Select Chair Gerry Gamage has announced, a contract has been signed with Affinity LED Light LLC of Dover, New Hampshire, to convert the island’s 119 Central Maine Power street light fixtures to “Smart Ready LED street lighting.”

“This is a great move for the town of Southport,” said Gamage. “We currently lease the lights from CMP and pay about $18,000 per year to them. The project will cost us approximately $50,000 but will save us a little under $17,000 per year. Over a 10-year period, that means the town will be saving nearly $170,000.”

According to Affinity’s estimates, Southport’s current street lighting energy consumption will be down by just under 75% and CO2 emissions will go down by just under 25 tons per year. “It’s an exciting move,” said Gamage, who emphasized that because of the future annual savings, the cost of conversion should be paid off within three years.

Across the island, the arms and cobra heads on all the lights will be replaced, but the poles will remain. Gamage said work should begin in the fall and be done “before the snow falls.”