Sierra Pacific Power Company
Contact: Robert Sagan/Karl Walquist
Phone: (775) 834-4345

For Immediate Release

Citing safer streets as a concern, the City of Reno has agreed to partner with Sierra Pacific Power Co. in a street light improvement program for a portion of downtown, that would increase the brightness of existing lights, as well as add lights in darker areas.

The program would"re-lamp" 234 Sierra Pacific-owned street lights from Ralston to Lake, and from Liberty to the freeway. In addition, lights will be added to several dark areas identified by Reno police on Third Street between Ralston and Sierra streets.

Task Force Formed

Late last year, the Downtown Improvement Association formed a Downtown Lighting Task Force that included representatives of downtown businesses, Sierra Pacific Power Co., city staff and other interested parties. The Task Force looked at a number of options for improving the lighting and addressed not only technical items, but also financing and rate issues.

The effort resulted in a demonstration of the lighting options around the Pioneer Theater. The options reviewed included 400-watt metal halide fixtures; 400-watt high pressure sodium fixtures with -color improved or corrected lamps; and 250--watt high pressure sodium, color improved fixtures.

Lamp Selection Made

All the lamps provided three to four times the illumination of the current 200-watt and 250-watt high-pressure sodium street lights. The strong consensus of the Task Force was that the 400-watt metal halide light"was brighter, felt safer and would have the greatest impact on the lighting levels downtown."

With all issues resolved, the Task Force strongly recommended that the conversion move forward as quickly as possible. Once work is initiated, will require six to eight weeks to complete the project. In the interim, the Task Force will determine the greatest areas of need and give them first priority when installation begins. The project should be completed by late July or early August.

Funding for the re-lamping and addition of lights is being made available by expanding the loan from the General Fund to the Redevelopment Fund previously approved to fund the initial phase of downtown improvements.