There's some light being shed on how many Buffalo street lights are out and what National Grid will do about it.
The city pays the utility about $16 million a year to run the 32,000 street lights and that's based on a charge for a functioning light.
Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown wants to save millions by using new technology bulbs but that's down the time line.
An audit prepared for the Council by a consultant says 2,000 lights were out when checked.
"Many, many lights went out on the Skyway. Many, many lights went out on the Kensington Expressway," said Comptroller Mark Schroeder.
"So, we reserve the right, obviously, to inform then that there are certain things happening that we want to make sure that we are not being overcharged with the lights not being at use...not being on."
Schroeder recently met with National Grid local executives and is pushing for a decision on a potential rebate for non-working lights sooner rather than later, like the $1.3 million rebate two-decades ago after a similar audit.
Spokesman Steve Brady said the utility hired a consultant of its own to check for non-working lights and that check and comparing it to the check for the city might take many months.
