U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz is going to be in Detroit on Thursday, May 22, to laud the Obama administration's efforts to help the city reduce the amount of power that it consumes on a regular basis. In 2013, officials from the Detroit government said that around 40 percent of its nearly 90,000 streetlights did not function properly, leading to a partnership between the city and the federal and state governments.

As of May, about 6,000 of Detroit's streetlights have been converted to LED fixtures, with a total goal of having 50,500 lights run on this energy-efficient alternative. A spokesman for Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan told local reporters that 500 new bulbs are being charged every day to prepare for their installation and use. Moniz is visiting the city to tout the progress that has been made so far, as well as to discuss what further steps can be taken.

"We're not purchasing the lights. We help them match up with manufacturers and hopefully get good prices. We try to bring together the state and local governments, utilities, manufacturers, investors, banks," Moniz told the Detroit News ahead of his visit.

Officials from the city say that the switch to LED bulbs will save Detroit around $1.5 million in annual electrical costs. This initiative is being run by the U.S. Energy Department, which has partnered with the Public Lighting Authority of Detroit, private company DTE Energy and the city government itself. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2015.

If you are a Maryland resident and want to learn how your home can use less power, schedule an appointment with home inspection company Alban Inspections today!