The Town of Stettler is exiting the streetlight maintenance business after council approved a buyout from ATCO Electric during its March 17 meeting.
Administration confirmed that ATCO’s final offer for the town’s remaining 766 “non-invested” streetlights sits at $768,298.
The figure is an increase from the $568,386 estimate presented to council in December 2025.
Under the new “invested” rate model, ATCO will take over full ownership of the town’s streetlights & will assume responsibility for replacement & maintenance costs.
Under the previous model, Stettler paid lower monthly utility rates, but was on the hook for repairs.
With high-pressure sodium (HPS) bulbs being phased out, individual LED replacements were costing the town upwards of $1,200 per unit.
By selling the inventory, the town avoids an estimated $460,000 in repair costs projected over the next five years.
LED Conversion Program
As part of the deal, the council also triggered an LED conversion program.
ATCO will replace all remaining HPS bulbs with LED technology at no cost to the municipality.
The town expects to see immediate savings on monthly power consumption once the installation is complete.
While the “invested” model will increase the town’s annual operating costs for streetlights, administration previously told council the buyout funds are expected to offset those increases for approximately 9.5 years.
Author: Landin Chambers
Landin Chambers is a news reporter for Hometown Media Stettler. He has a background in broadcast news, with previous roles in Prince George, Red Deer and Calgary. You may also see him as a cameraman for the Stettler Wildcats and Stettler Imperials. Have a story idea? Email: lchambers@htproductionsmedia.ca
