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ComEd 2030

A roadmap for an equitable transition to cleaner energy

Reliable and Resilient

For ComEd, keeping the lights on for nine million people in northern Illinois is no longer enough. ComEd’s grid will need to enable millions of electric vehicles plugging in. Customers will need easy ways to connect more renewables such as solar and wind, as well as battery storage. At the same time, ComEd’s service must remain highly reliable and resilient as climate change propels severe weather events.

ComEd 2030 is ComEd’s vision for advancing this low-carbon future in ways that benefit all communities. It sets out a plan for how investments in ComEd’s infrastructure and customer programs can advance critical policy goals—including the goals of the landmark Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA)—and the company’s long tradition of service.

Ambitious and Visionary

ComEd 2030 sets out an ambitious vision, expressed along five key pillars that will guide our work through this decade and beyond.

Carbon-free

ComEd expects its grid will be capable of delivering 100%, 24/7 carbonfree power in northern Illinois that will support increasingly electrified transportation, building and industrial sectors.

Flexibility & resilience

ComEd will adapt to and help mitigate the impacts of climate change through careful planning and investments that make its infrastructure stronger, more dynamic and capable of withstanding increasing weather risks.

Efficiency & affordability

ComEd will provide service that is more reliable at the lowest practical cost to customers by using technology that optimizes operations and efficiency and minimizes costs.

Empowerment & equity

ComEd’s service will be a catalyst for positive community outcomes, innovation and job creation across the region and especially in historically under-resourced communities.

Simple & intuitive energy choices

ComEd will enable its customers to make cleaner energy choices easily and intuitively, bringing confidence and security into low-carbon energy transactions.

Harnessing Key Trends

Tomorrow’s electric company must be different from yesterday’s electric company.
The future presents ComEd with demands we must meet and opportunities we must capture.

Entire sectors of our economy are electrifying

Our society is transitioning toward greater electricity use and away from the use of fossil fuels. We already see this in the transportation sector with the explosive growth rate of electric vehicles (EVs). The number of EV registrations in Illinois increased by more than 40% in 2021, according to an analysis of U.S. Department of Energy data.

But transportation is only the beginning. Heating and cooling of buildings will become more electrified. Manufacturing and other industry will become more electrified. The trend lines are everywhere, and they are all pointing in the direction that we need more electricity, not less.

Why is electrification expanding?

Mostly because of the shift to zero carbon. The climate crisis compels us to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels that create carbon emissions and air pollution—threats to our economies, our health and our well-being that affect under-resourced communities more than others.

Transitioning to zero-carbon electricity to meet our transportation and heating and cooling needs is generally the most practical and cost-effective way to decarbonize. And it further reduces harmful emissions associated with transporting fossil fuels. In addition, as renewables and other zero-carbon resources continue to grow, electrifying transportation, buildings and industry allows us to maximize the impact of our growing clean energy supply.

Renewables require a more decentralized approach to supplying and managing the flow of power

Solar arrays and wind turbines are distributed throughout our territory, including on or beside homes and businesses. On average, they produce less energy per unit than a traditional coal or natural-gas power plant. And their output depends on Mother Nature; they cannot simply turn on. So to scale renewable energy, the grid must accept power sources from thousands of “mini power plants” instead of a few “mega power plants.”

These mini power plants have advantages and limitations. They are often renewable and can be located closer to where customers are consuming the power at their homes and businesses. But they require “two-way” power flows on a grid that was not designed for this type of use, making them more difficult to connect to and integrate into the power system while ensuring safety and reliability. It’s their placement all across our geography and intermittent production of power that require this transformation.

This is a wholesale transformation of what we think an electric grid needs to do. Instead of a one-directional model, where power flows into the home or business, as it has been for a century, the future requires a grid where power can flow in both directions. And, instead of power plants that can turn off and on when needed, the grid increasingly depends on intermittent power sources and maturing energy-storage technologies.

This kind of capability requires the grid (already one of the engineering marvels of the world) to reach whole new levels of flexibility, visibility and sophistication.

Volatile weather and other external forces present risks to the grid

By mid-century, climate conditions for ComEd’s service territory are likely to be substantially warmer and more humid in all seasons, creating increased stress to grid equipment and increased demand for air conditioning in the summer, spring and fall. In winter, climate change impacts likely will mean fewer snowstorms, but more icing that also increases the risk of power outages. In addition, evolving threats require us to ensure that our critical infrastructure is protected year-round, both in terms of cyber and physical security.

Our customers and communities will need to depend on our electric grid through all seasons and conditions, which means the investments we make today must be able to withstand the climate challenges of tomorrow.

Technology is enabling customers to become more sophisticated energy consumers

People have long been passive consumers of electricity. But that’s all changing. Now, customers have options based on insight and information about energy use at their fingertips. This kind of visibility means that our customers have more choices. They can install distributed energy resources, such as solar and wind generation and battery storage, and they can take advantage of incentives that can put money in their pocket when they change when and how they use electricity.

Technology is enabling utilities to become better operators

Just as high-tech has transformed virtually every industry, electric companies are now leveraging technology to build stronger, more efficient, more resilient electric infrastructure and service operations. This is a boon for consumers who receive better service at the lowest practical costs. Under ComEd’s regulatory system, we pass cost savings from efficiency measures on to customers through the rate-making process.

A Position of Strength

ComEd 2030 builds on the company’s significant improvements in the last decade to deliver safe,reliable, clean and affordable energy.

Reliability

ComEd customers experienced fewer power outages than customers of any comparable U.S. electric company for a fifth year in a row in 2021, according to a company analysis of 25 peer companies with 1 million or more customers. And, when outages did occur, service to ComEd’s customers was restored as fast or faster than customers of other comparable utilities.

Value

ComEd customers’ bills have remained low compared to others’. The average monthly ComEd residential bill in fourth quarter 2022 was lower than the statewide average in 47 out of 50 U.S. states in 2021.*

*Based on an analysis of U.S. Energy Information Administration data.

Clean Energy

There’s enough carbon-free power in ComEd’s region to meet all of its customers’ demand for electricity 94% of the time year-round. ComEd has connected to its grid over 330 megawatts (MW) of rooftop solar across northern Illinois, in addition to other renewables such as community solar and wind energy.

Customer Satisfaction

ComEd’s customer satisfaction increased 25% from 2011 to 2021**, and continues to increase. This is due to strides in reliability and value, and significant investments in customer tools and capabilities.

**As measured by JD Power.

“To prepare for the digital and decarbonized future, ComEd has important work ahead. But we start from a position of strength. In the last decade, we have transformed our network into a modern grid. The value delivered to our customers and communities has been substantial.”

ComEd CEO Gil Quiniones

$10M

Per year for low-income renewable energy programs

$130M

For equitable workforce development programs

99%

Clean electricity by 2026

Backed by Research

To gain a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities of the clean energy transition, ComEd worked with leading research organizations to undertake a series of localized studies. The studies provide valuable insights that help inform ComEd’s 2030 vision.

Climate Risk and Adaptation

In partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory's Center for Climate Resilience and Decision Science, this study examines the impact of changing weather due to climate change on the design and performance of the power grid in the region.

Decarbonization Pathways

In partnership with Energy+Environmental Economics (E3), this study explores pathways for Illinois to achieve a net-zero economy by 2050.

Disadvantaged Communities

In partnership with ILLUME Advising, this study investigates clean energy services in under-resourced communities and the barriers they and environmental justice communities face in equitably receiving services.

Jobs and Just Energy Transition

In partnership with BW Research, this study explores the clean energy transition’s impact on the Illinois workforce, identifying emerging employment opportunities in clean energy and potential transitions for workers displaced by the retirement of fossil fuels.

Looking Forward

Our customers will experience a different grid in 2030. By meeting our commitments and doing our work well, our customers’ experience with ComEd will evolve.

We will be the most dependable service provider in our customers’ lives. Energy choices will expand and simplify. Environmental pollution will decline; public health measures will improve. Local job opportunities will grow, and we will help local institutions fill them. Interacting with our service will be faster, more cost effective, more predictable.

Join Us on the Journey

We want to keep you updated on our progress through this 2030 adventure to a carbon-free and grid-optimized future.
We invite you to follow us on social media, ask us questions and participate in the civic conversation.
Contact us at ComEd.Communication@ComEd.com.

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