The ÑDz©¶Ä²© Government owns more than 80,000 lights on streets, footpaths, arterial roads and in various public parks and other open spaces around the ÑDz©¶Ä²©. Public lighting is the ÑDz©¶Ä²© Government’s highest use of electricity (25 per cent) and produces 18 per cent of the Government’s greenhouse gas emissions. The Carbon Neutral Government Framework noted the importance of energy efficiency upgrades of streetlighting.
The ÑDz©¶Ä²© Government approached the market for a complete management solution for our streetlights, delivering energy efficiency upgrades, as well as a ‘backbone’ platform for future Smart City options.
Through improved energy efficiency, the Government will consume less electricity and significantly reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. Upgrading the Territory’s streetlights will give us a safer, more sustainable, leading digital city.
Streetlight maintenance
Transport Canberra and City Services owns over 80,000 streetlights and footpath lights in the ÑDz©¶Ä²©. Electrix Pty Ltd carry out streetlight maintenance.
Current streetlight maintenance objectives are focused on protecting public safety, improving levels of service and reducing energy consumption.
Streetlight requests
Requests to install lighting in urban areas that are received from members of the public are assessed using three key criteria.
- Strategic with weighting of 40%, including consistency with:
- ÑDz©¶Ä²© Government Sustainable Transport Policy
- ÑDz©¶Ä²© Government Territory Plan
- ÑDz©¶Ä²© Heritage Register
- Location Specific Master Plan
- Special Requirements - National Capital Plan
- City Renewal Authority
- Environmental with weighting of 20%, including:
- Impact on trees
- Light pollution
- Net energy consumption impact
- Fauna / Flora
- Community with weighting of 40%, including considerations around:
- Security
- Public safety (i.e. trips and falls)
- Road safety (i.e. pedestrian crossing)
Reporting lighting faults
Any information you can provide about a fault or outage can help us fix the problem sooner. If you see a fault please call Access Canberra on 13 22 81 and avoid unnecessary contact. Alternatively, streetlight repairs can be reported via the Fix My Street online service accessible through .
Canberrans are reminded that like the electrical devices in your home such as the toaster or kettle, streetlights and other public electric assets can become a hazard when faulty. The ÑDz©¶Ä²© Government is committed to providing safe and reliable public assets and the community’s help in identifying faults will allow us to take appropriate action sooner.
Energy Performance Contract
The ÑDz©¶Ä²© Government has entered into an Energy Performance Contract for the operation, maintenance and upgrade of the streetlight network over a seven year period with Electrix Pty Ltd. A significant proportion of Canberra’s streetlight network will be upgraded to LED, significantly increasing electrical safety and improving energy efficiency.
You can contact Access Canberra on 13 22 81 or via the feedback link on the .
Current streetlight defects
Streetlight defects are identified through a number of activities such as night patrol inspections, by the public and ÑDz©¶Ä²© Government officers and contractors. Once the ÑDz©¶Ä²© Government receives a request the required works are programmed by the streetlight repair contractor. In certain circumstances, timeframes can be longer due to the complexity of repairs required.
As part of the Streetlight Energy Performance Contract, Electrix Pty Ltd have identified a number of streetlights that will be replaced with energy efficient lights and produce an energy saving. The Energy Performance Contract replacement program will replace a significant proportion of streetlights which will include main road lights.
Current upgrades
On 22 May 2020 the Australian Government announced a new $500 million Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program.
This program will support local government to deliver priority local road and community infrastructure projects across Australia, supporting jobs and the resilience of local economies to help communities bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program is part of the Government's $1.8 billion boost for road and community projects through local governments across Australia.
The following lighting projects received funding.
Streetlights - replacement of dull streetlight lamps
The objective of this program is to replace existing dull Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) in streetlights around Canberra with Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) to mitigate the risk of a predicted exponential increase in the number of failed streetlight lamps in the network in the near future.
Streetlight infill program
This project will continue to improve and enhance lighting to provide safer public spaces and increase amenity across the ÑDz©¶Ä²© at locations identified through public requests.
Refurbishment of high mast lighting
Throughout the ÑDz©¶Ä²© there are 36 high mast light poles, with 12 located at Parkes Way/Commonwealth Avenue; 13 at Commonwealth Avenue/Flynn Drive and 11 at the Kings Avenue/Bowen Drive interchanges. Of these high mast poles, the NCA owns 15 and the ÑDz©¶Ä²© Government owns 21.
This project will refurbish 12 of the ÑDz©¶Ä²© Government owned high mast lights located at Commonwealth Avenue/Flynn Drive and Kings Avenue/Bowen Drive.
The high mast poles are around 30.5 metres tall and painted metal, each with three suspended lamps mounted in a deep bowl reflectors to achieve full light cut-off.
