1

Countering an EpidemicStreet Light Copper Wire Theft

2

-Industrialization of China Picture-Rising market costs of copper picture-Rising appetite for copper

How it all started?

3

Thieves targeting copper in street lights across north America

Who was affected?

4

Surrey’s Challenge

5

What was at risk?

6

Action

ANTI-THEFTMEASURES

Initial Response- Theft Deterrent

7

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013$0

$500,000

$1,000,000

$1,500,000

$2,000,000

$2,500,000

$3,000,000

Results of our Initial Theft Deterrent Measures

Cost of Copper Wire Theft

8

Introducing Aluminum Alloy Wire• Acceptable electrical conductor

• Integrates with existing street lighting infrastructure

• Marginal recycling value

• Difficult for thieves to recycle

• Lower capital cost to install

9

Developing a Business Case-Our Team

10

• Learning Objectives• How best to complete the work • Identify the unknowns, i.e. installation

issues• Cost to complete• Time required• Recycling• What’s our return on investment period

Completing a Trial Run “ The Pilot Project”

11

Pilot Project- What we Learned

Data Gaps

12

Data Gap Solution

3,765 Street Light Record Drawings added to our GIS Database

13

Pilot Project- What we LearnedSplicing Requirements

• Challenges of connecting aluminum wire to copper wire

14

• ‘Jammers’• ‘No-pulls’• Plexed v. non-plexed wiring

Pilot Project- What we Learned

15

• $8.5M Estimated cost to replace street light copper wire with aluminum alloy wire. Return on Investment is 4 years• Will take approximately 2 years to complete based on

an average 3km a day production

Business Case Conclusion

16

• One contract issued for entire copper wire replacement project• Bonus Clause to encourage early

completion – “win – win”• Extensive Public Awareness Effort• Strategic roll out of the replacement

program to target high theft areas first

City Wide Replacement Program

17Cheaper than expected, $6.5M cost vs $8.5M estimate

Results - SUCCESS!

20102011

12/31/2

0122013

Jan/1

4

Feb/1

4

Mar/14

Apr/14

May/1

4

Jun/14

Jul/14

Aug/14

Sep/1

4

Oct/14

Nov/14

Dec/14

Jan/1

5

Feb/1

5

Mar/15

Apr/15

May/1

5

Jun/15

Jul/15

Aug/15

Sep/1

5$0

$500,000

$1,000,000

$1,500,000

$2,000,000

$2,500,000

$3,000,000

Project Start Date

18

• Aluminum less susceptible to wire theft than copper• Lower recycling cost, and difficult to

recycle alloy wire• May not be viable for all Cities, target

high theft area’s instead.• Consider installing aluminum wiring for

new street light applications

Approach worth Replicating?