Work has begun on the installation of LED lights in Dunedin, with some short delays.
Installation of the LEDs started in December and about 30 street lights had been placed in Brighton.
Dunedin City Council asset and funding manager Merrin Dougherty said about 290 streetlights had been installed across Dunedin, some replacing sodium lights that had failed.
Last year it was announced 3000-Kelvin LED lights would take up to two years to be introduced across the city, replacing the city's 15,000 ageing high-pressure sodium lights.
‘‘There are some being installed when older street lights fail.’’
She said LED street lights had not been installed in Taieri, Saddle Hill and Strath Taieri as expected at the end of last year, due to a delay.
‘‘A slight delay has occurred due to poor weather conditions late last year, in order to carry out the work safely.’’
She said the Dunedin City Council had asked wildlife experts from the Department of Conservation and the University of Auckland Centre for Biodiversity and Security about impacts on the environment.
‘‘The science on this is still developing, however, at this stage, no adverse effects can be cited.’’
She said installation would continue on the Taieri after the Brighton installations.
Lower-intensity lights would indeed be installed at the end of the project in ecologically sensitive areas, likely to be in 2021.