Albuquerque Sunport Upgrades Runway Lighting

New LED system expected to cut power use by 60% on primary runway

Apr. 15, 2026 at 10:19pm

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A highly stylized, geometric illustration depicting the sweeping curves and bold forms of an airport runway at night, rendered in deep shades of blue and purple with a sense of grand scale and modern elegance.

The Albuquerque Sunport's newly upgraded runway lighting system promises greater energy efficiency and safety for aircraft operations.Albuquerque Today

The Albuquerque Sunport has completed a $3.2 million reconstruction project to upgrade the lighting system on its primary runway 3-21. The outdated halogen lights from 1995 have been replaced with energy-efficient LED lights, which are projected to reduce power consumption by 60%.

Why it matters

The Sunport's runway lighting is a critical infrastructure system that ensures safe takeoffs and landings, especially during low-visibility conditions. The upgrade to LED technology will deliver long-term energy and cost savings for the airport.

The details

The runway lighting overhaul included replacing the old halogen fixtures with new LED lights, as well as upgrading the pavement sensors along the 3-21 runway. The $3.2 million project was jointly funded by the city of Albuquerque and a grant from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The runway lighting reconstruction was completed in April 2026.

The players