Chico, the most populated city in California, partners up with PG&E in switching all the streetlights to LED lamps, reported KRCR News.

The conversion is expected to cost the city US 1.17 million. An internal municipal fund will cover most of the cost, totaling at US 1.31 million. Meanwhile, PG&E will utilize the incentive through the LED Streetlight Turn0Key Replacement Program to cover US $145,950.

Chico accommodates nearly 7,000 streetlights in the city and 4,700 out of the total lights are owned by the city. PG&E owns about 2,300 streetlights. Approximately 1,000 the lights in the city were switched to LEDs. Therefore, the project looks to convert the remaining 6,000 streetlights.

Erik Gustafson, Public Work Director of Maintenance at PG&E, said that the LEDs will slash the energy bill and save Chico about US $273,000 per year. In other words, the project will pay itself off shortly within five years. With up to 20 years of lifetime, LED lights will definitely save more for the city in the long run.

Chico’s streetlight conversion is expected to cut 831,560 pounds of carbon emission from the environment. The amount of carbon cut equivalent to what 897 acres of trees could remove. The conversion will commence in the following four to six weeks.