How do they measure electricity used by street lights?
Question
How do electric companies bill councils for street lighting when there is no meter on any of the lamp posts? How do they know how much was used?
Gary, Nuttfield
Answer
** Definitive **
Name: Richard, Heathrow
Qualification: Work for an electricity company
Answer: The answer below is rubbish, they do get charged. We push them towards LED lighting, as it is so much more efficient. Local authorities pay an averaged out rate for the electricity used. Currently, they are moving towards meters which will cover around 30 lights and then the council will be charged on that amount of electricity. If it’s under 500W, they pay a flat fee to the electricity board.
Name: Tony, Chertsey
Qualification: Used to work for the Electricity Board
Answer: The council don’t actually pay. They don’t pay for streetlights, for traffic lights or for road signs. This is because the cost of the meter would outweigh the cost of the electricity. So the electricity board allows them to have it for free.