Duke Energy Progress customers may see some changes in their communities as the utility embarks on a new initiative to modernize outdoor lighting across its service area. Duke will replace more than 100,000 mercury vapor street and area lights with advanced LED fixtures. 

The project is part of Duke’s Lighting Modernization Program, which seeks to replace mercury vapor fixtures in its North Carolina service area by October 2016. Plans call for about 9,000 lights to be upgraded each month. 

“We’ve heard from our customers that they want more energy-efficient outdoor lighting options and we want to be responsive,” said Emily Henson, Duke Energy’s director of outdoor lighting. 

The utility has also committed to investigate and consider new, more efficient lighting options as they become available in the market, and to share those options as part of the utility’s ongoing commitment to serve outdoor lighting customers.