Here's a story that has managed to slip me for several months:
Transformation to 2021 Street Lighting LED Replacement ProjectAt a meeting on 10th March 2020, recommendations were agreed for a relatively small LED street lighting replacement programme in Hampshire. The proposal is to spend £3.2 million replacing approximately 12,000 SON lanterns with LED, and suggest that principal routes in Hampshire feature approx. 32,500 SON lanterns, so LED upgrades would equate to about 37% of this stock.
Interestingly, whilst the report suggests there are approx. 32,500 high pressure sodium lanterns on principal routes, the facts and figures page on the council website suggests there are only 22,167 high pressure sodium lanterns in the county. The report also suggested expenditure along the lines of 40% this year, 40% next financial year, and 20% in 2022/23, though I've not seen any newer articles to confirm the replacements, nor have I seen any evidence of replacements yet in the county. Also, the preference appears to be "highest power first" as priority for replacement. Replacement of 12,000 would easily kill off the largest size Iridiums with 250W SON lamps. However, I do wonder if they would take the opportunity to replace large Iridiums with 210W CDM Elite lamps and any other lanterns such as decorative lanterns with these higher powered light sources.
The LED replacements are proposed as an alternative to further extending dimming or part night regimes in the county, which are already very intensive, and this LED upgrade is expected to yield nearly double the cost savings in comparison. If more funding opportunities were available in the future, there is indication Hampshire would look to extend LED roll out, potentially as far as the entire lighting stock of the county.
I'd previously mentioned that I thought the South Coast PFI may have run out of Hampshire green CosmoArcs. I have a feeling they have also run out of black CosmoIridiums and CDM Elite Iridiums, as casual replacements in Southampton have appeared to be with Hampshire green SON Iridiums (new, or second hand from replacement schemes?).