Green Christmas in Hico

The stars were brightly shining in Hico this holiday season—or wait a minute, those were the new LED lights. Starting November 18, Hico residents noticed new LED holiday lights going up in the downtown area. First Choice Power provided a sponsorship to the city to cover 1200 feet of green wire and sockets, 1300 C-9 size LED lights, shingle tabs and parapet clips.

“Outlining Hico’s historic downtown buildings with LED Christmas lights really enhanced the appearance of the City for the holidays,” said City Administrator Michael Leamons. “LED lights have the added benefits of being energy efficient and having a long life. Thanks to First Choice Power’s generous gift, we can light up downtown for the holidays while minimizing electric consumption.”

It was estimated that the new holiday lights used only $550 in electricity per month, saving the city a whopping 80% in operating costs over traditional incandescent bulbs. “LED lights last longer than incandescent lights, and they are a lot more durable,” said Todd Clift, First Choice Power’s business development manager for Hico and the surrounding areas. “We hope that the city will enjoy the lights for many years to come and will see additional savings by not having to purchase them year after year. This is part of our long-term partnership with Hico.”

The lights were turned on the week of Thanksgiving and decked the halls—make that the streets—through the first of the year.