HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 11e - Purchase 6.6 Series Streetlight TransformersPurchase Order for 6.6 Series Streetlight Transformers
April 04, 2023
Page 1 of 3
DATE: April 4, 2023
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Paul Cranmer, Public Works Services Director
By: Carmen Masud, Deputy Public Works Services Director
SUBJECT: PURCHASE ORDER WITH SOUTH COAST LIGHTING & DESIGN FOR
THE PURCHASE OF 6.6 SERIES STREETLIGHT TRANSFORMERS IN
THE AMOUNT OF $87,600.24
CEQA: Exempt
Recommendation: Approve
SUMMARY
The City of Arcadia’s street lighting system is comprised of over 3,900 Southern California
Edison (“SCE”) and City owned streetlights. There are about 400 City owned streetlights
that use an outdated design concept called 6.6 Series streetlights. Replacement parts to
maintain the 6.6 Series streetlights are no longer available. The Public Works Services
Department (“PWSD”) located a vendor that specializes in maintaining 6.6 Series
streetlights and that manufactured an isolation transformer, which significantly increases
the reliability of the system.
It is recommended that the City Council approve a sole source purchase order with South
Coast Lighting & Design for the purchase of 6.6 amp isolation transformers in the amount
of $87,600.24.
BACKGROUND
The City of Arcadia owns and maintains approximately 400 6.6 Series streetlights located
in three areas of the City (Santa Anita Oaks, Rancho Santa Anita, and Santa Anita
Village). These 6.6 Series streetlights are wired using a method referred to as “series
wiring” and can no longer be maintained due to the inability to obtain replacement parts.
The basis of this system is that if one light fails along the series, the entire circuit goes
dark, much like traditional holiday lights. Rewiring the entire 6.6 Series circuit system into
a modern parallel lighting system would cost about $6 million. For this reason, the PWSD
has been looking for ways to prolong the life span of the 6.6 Series streetlights. To do so,
many of the 6.6 Series streetlights were retrofitted using a ballast-type kit to convert
incandescent lamps into high-pressure sodium lamps. However, these kits can no longer
Purchase Order for 6.6 Series Streetlight Transformers
April 04, 2023
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be used because they draw too much power from SCE’s transformer. When too many
high-pressure sodium ballast kits are installed, they overload the transformer, causing the
streetlights to malfunction. The PWSD discovered that this is occurring now at the
Altura/Panorama feed point. Recent isolation transformer technology can convert these
series circuits into parallel circuits at the light pole, which enables the use of low wattage
LED lamps. The LED lamps consume much less power than high-pressure sodium ballast
retrofit kits that have been utilized. To test this new technology, in 2018, the PWSD
organized a 6.6 Series streetlight retrofit pilot project and upgraded 63 streetlights with
isolation transformers and LED lamps. This effort restored power to many streetlights that
were not working.
DISCUSSION
There are 104 high-pressure sodium streetlights on Altura Road that are currently not
working because these streetlights are drawing too much power from SCE’s transformer.
The new isolation transformers manufactured by OV20 Systems, LLC were specifically
designed to reduce the amperage to match SCE’s electrical output. Previously the PWSD
was able to install a few OV20 System, LLC, isolation transformers to restore 6.6 Series
streetlights that went out; the PWSD has found that all 104 streetlights in the
Altura/Panorama feed point need to be replaced with OV20 Systems isolation
transformers to restore lighting. The OV20 Systems isolation transformer will be used to
repair the 6.6 ampere 2500-volt 6.6 Series lights that are currently non-operational. The
isolation transformers manufactured by OV20 Systems, LLC are a proprietary design
product that cannot be obtained from an alternative vendor. There are currently no other
products available that perform a similar function as the OV20 System isolation
transformers. South Coast Lighting & Design is the exclusive distributor of this product.
Therefore, it is recommended that the City Council approve a sole source purchase order
with South Coast Lighting & Design for the purchase of the isolation transformers.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS
The proposed action does not constitute a project under the California Environmental
Quality Act (“CEQA”), and it can be seen with certainty that it will have no impact on the
environment. Thus, this matter is exempt under CEQA.
FISCAL IMPACT
Each isolation transformer costs $764. The total cost for the purchase of 104 units,
including tax and delivery charges is $87,600.24. Sufficient funds are available in the
Department’s Fiscal Year 2022-23 Lighting District Operating Budget for the purchase of
the isolation transformers.
Purchase Order for 6.6 Series Streetlight Transformers
April 04, 2023
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RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council determine that this action does not constitute a
project, and therefore, is exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act
(“CEQA”); and approve a Purchase Order with South Coast Lighting & Design for the
purchase of 6.6 Series Streetlight Transformers in the amount of $87,600.24.