Painesville Electric helps student with unique light project

by Paul Ciampoli
APPA News Director
March 10, 2021

When she was in fifth grade, Painesville, Ohio’s Addison Nance started researching light pollution in a science fair project.

That research sparked her interest in changing a streetlight near her house. Nance’s persistence and hard work, along with assistance from public power utility Painesville Electric, resulted in the installation of a new LED light earlier this month.

Jeff McHugh, electric superintendent in the electric division of the City of Painesville, noted that Nance was working on a science project for her school and approached the city manager at the time, Monica Dupee, about doing something with her streetlight.

Dupee encouraged Nance and gave her some direction and McHugh’s contact information. Dupee told Nance that she needed to get her neighbors to agree, find some funding to help pay for the light, and do a presentation before the city council for their approval.

On Nov. 18, 2019, Nance gave a presentation to the Painesville City Council on light pollution and the effects on plants, animals and the atmosphere. She provided alternatives for the light post on her street in the City of Painesville.

The city council was impressed by her research and activism. Dupee and the council decided they would move forward with the project if Nance was able to secure signatures from her neighbors in favor of the new light and raise the $300 to pay for it.

Painesville Municipal Electric would install it for free and it would be supported by the city’s electric system.

A little under a year later, Nance had the necessary signatures and the $300 and the city purchased the specialty light for her street.

Painesville Municipal Electric installed the new light on March 3, 2021 and there was a small ceremony for Nance and her family on March 4.

What makes this particular light special is that it is an LED light and is engineered to direct the light down and not to the sides.

To view the city council video of Nance’s presentation, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jwi9JTgscoE and visit the 2:20 mark.