Agenda Report
Fullerton City Council
MEETING DATE: JUNE 4, 2024
TO: CITY COUNCIL / SUCCESSOR AGENCY
SUBMITTED BY: STEPHEN BISE, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
PREPARED BY: STEPHEN BISE, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
SUBJECT: PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT WITH SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON FOR STREET LIGHT CONVERSION PROJECT 2024
SUMMARY
Southern California Edison (SCE) proposes a project to convert one of the City-owned high-voltage street light series circuits to an SCE-owned system at no cost to the City. Staff has selected the 606 - 548 West Orangethorpe circuit for conversion.
PROPOSED MOTION
Approve purchase and conversion of the 606 - 548 West Orangethorpe circuit to transfer approximately 94 LS-2 street lights to SCE to replace the system with new LS-1 street lights owned and operated by SCE.
Authorize City Manager or designee to execute the Purchase and Sale Agreement.
ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS
Approve the Proposed Motion
Request staff explore a different circuit to convert
Other options brought by City Council.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the Proposed Motion.
CITY MANAGER REMARKS
The City Manager recommends approval of the purchase and conversion of the 606 – 548 West Orangethorpe circuit.
This circuit has had multiple lighting outages and unreliability at times over the years and this action should provide more reliable lighting on the West Orangethorpe circuit.
PRIORITY POLICY STATEMENT
This item matches the following Priority Policy Statement:
Infrastructure and City Assets.
FISCAL IMPACT
Reduction in service rate from an LS-2 rate to an LS-1 rate per light. The City would not incur any cost for new street light system installation.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
Communities across Southern California face the challenge to replace aging, high-voltage series street light systems. Regulated output transformers, only manufactured by Specialty Transformer in Cedar City, Utah, operate series systems. The manufacturer will not renew or significantly repair the manufacturing equipment given the declining market for these transformers. Utilities and local governments must plan and implement replacement of existing series street light circuits soon. Fullerton has approximately 53 high-voltage series circuits throughout the City consisting of about 3,000 street lights.
SCE completed a pilot project in Fullerton in 2023 replacing the “Lillie Series Circuit” (made up of 37 lights). SCE constructed new SCE owned (LS-1) street light circuits at no cost to the City of Fullerton. SCE secured additional funding in calendar year 2024 to convert up to 100 street lights.
City Council received a staff presentation outlining options to address the series street lighting issue on April 16, 2024. Staff recommended SCE conversion or solar retrofit for the two most problematic circuits (1336 Evergreen and 606 - 548 West Orangethorpe) as soon as possible.
Staff surveyed both neighborhoods regarding the conversion options and received 247 responses. Attachment 3 details the survey results.
Staff recommends SCE convert the 606 - 548 West Orangethorpe circuit (see Attachment 2 for location) based on the following:
SCE and City staff have troubleshot this circuit for years. The circuit currently has several lights offline due to transformer load issues.
The survey indicates 75% of the local community support the SCE conversion option (26% higher than the Evergreen area).
The street alignment in the area forms a grid, which limits potential overhead conductor encroachments and allows for longer circuit runs.
The area has minimal infrastructure and/or constructability challenges.
SCE would manage and implement the conversion project and take ownership of the street lights to remove and replace with an LS-1 system. The City could have up to a 40% a monthly cost reduction for the impacted lights and would have a new, modern street light system featuring LED fixtures. The new system would utilize concrete (marbelite) street light poles with a single overhead conductor electrical feed. SCE would design the system working closely with Public Works staff and construct the new system before the end of 2024.
SCE requires ample time to design, procure and construct the conversion and needs to expend all funds and complete construction by December 31, 2024, If the City does not approve a circuit for SCE conversion by June 2024, SCE will likely approach other agencies for this project.
Attachments:
Attachment 1 - Fullerton Series Street Light Replacement Agreement Attachment 2 – Location Map
Attachment 3 – Residential Street Lighting Input Survey Results cc: City Manager Eric J. Levitt
Purchase and Sale Agreement SCE Street Light Conversion Project June 4, 2024 - Page PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 2