​Street Lighting Service

SMUD provides special rates and services for public right-of-way lighting such as street lighting, for cities, counties and other public agencies. The following are answers to common questions about SMUD's Street Lighting Service.

What is SMUD's Street Lighting Service?

Street Lighting Services, under Rate Schedule SLS, provides dusk to dawn outdoor lighting service facilities. SLS is designed to light public streets, highways, bridges, public parks, elementary schools, secondary schools and colleges. There are several service categories within SLS that provide flexibility with ownership and maintenance, as well as metering and flat-rate. All service categories pay the same electricity usage rate and some service categories pay a monthly system infrastructure fixed charge or monthly installation and maintenance charges.

Why did SMUD introduce metered rates?

Advances in outdoor lighting technology allow greater efficiency and functionality, such as variable light levels. A meter is needed to accurately capture the fluctuating electric usage of these new technologies. Also, smart meter technology allows for remote monitoring and reporting of outages and system performance.

What is an outdoor lighting service facility?

An outdoor lighting service facility is the entire system that begins at the electric service point and ends at the light fixture. The lighting system includes underground or overhead wiring, poles, fixture, lamp, ballast, arms, refractors, photocells, controls and other typical support equipment.

Who is responsible for lighting a public right-of-way?

Cities, counties, park districts and other public agencies provide outdoor lighting of public right-of-way within their jurisdiction. These agencies design their own outdoor lighting service facility and determine the location, quantity, spacing, type, brightness and quality of light. The public agency selects a SMUD SLS service category and determines ownership, installation and maintenance responsibilities. Installation, monthly energy usage and maintenance charges are paid by the public agency. SMUD is responsible for furnishing the electricity for the outdoor lighting facilities.

Who is responsible for the operation and maintenance of street lighting facilities?

Most street lighting systems are owned and maintained by a public agency such as a city, county or park district. However there are installations where the public agency chooses SMUD to own and maintain the street lighting system (DOM in the rate schedule). SMUD charges the public agency a monthly charge for the installation and ongoing maintenance of the street lighting system.
View the lighting fee table

How do I request a new street light?

Cities, counties, park districts and other public agencies can request new street lights or changes to existing street lights by contacting SMUD's Street Light Desk at 1-916-732-7343 or email Billing.

Individuals and community groups interested in new outdoor lighting for streets, sidewalks, parks, alleyways or other public right-of-ways should contact the staff of their city, county or appropriate public agency. SMUD does not have the authority to permit private entities or individuals to order outdoor lighting of public property.

Street Lighting Service Rate Schedule (SLS)

SMUD's outdoor lighting service facilities options:

  • Option Rate Category
    Customer-owned and maintained SL_COM
    Customer-owned and maintained, metered SL_COM_M
    Customer-owned, District-maintained SL_CODM (closed - 2014)
    District-owned and maintained SL_DOM
    View the full rate schedule

Eligibility

  • Rate Category SL_COM:
    • Where the customer owns and maintains the street lighting equipment, SMUD will furnish electricity and switching. This rate is available to customers that are not eligible for the SL_COM_M metered rate or as determined by SMUD.
  • Rate Category SL_COM_M:
    • Eligible street lighting customers requesting new installations of lamps or additions of new lamps to existing accounts will default to the metered SL_COM_M rate. Eligible street lighting customers will be served under the default rate or as determined by SMUD.
  • Rate Category SL_CODM:
    • This rate is closed to new customers and installations effective January 23, 2014. Where the customer owns the street lighting equipment and SMUD supplies electricity, switching and, lamp servicing and maintenance, such service will be rendered for lamps and fixtures and types as SMUD has approved.
  • Rate Categories SL_DOM:
    • Where the customer requests that SMUD install, operate and maintain the entire street lighting system, such service will be provided with fixtures and lamps of sizes and types as approved by SMUD. This rate is restricted to streets that are defined as right-of-way held in public trust and maintained by the applicable government jurisdiction. At SMUD’s sole discretion, streets not readily accessible to the general public will be served under the customer owned and maintained rates only.

Need more help?

Public agencies

If you're a public agency and need additional non-technical information about SMUD’s Street Lighting Service, please call our Street Light Desk at 1-916-732-7343 or email Billing. For technical questions, please visit our Design & Construction Services.

Non-public agencies

If you're not a public agency, please contact your local agency (your city or county, for example) for street light questions.

For street light or night light outages, report a dark street light.