Energy company encourages customers to be safe and energy efficient during hot weather and storms

CHICAGO (July 5, 2023) – Following record flooding in northern Illinois, ComEd is prepared for more severe weather expected across northern Illinois on Wednesday evening. The company has proactively opened its Emergency Operations Center and is readying crews and equipment to meet any impact from the weather. Forecasts project rain, lightning and wind gusts in excess of 50 miles per hour in some areas.

"Extreme weather resulting from climate change continues to impact our service territory but we are ready to meet these challenges," said Dave Perez, senior vice-president of Distribution Operations, ComEd. "Our customers and communities depend on reliable energy to power their lives and livelihoods and we will be working around the clock to restore anyone impacted by the weather moving into northern Illinois."

System investments continue to keep the grid reliable

ComEd has been investing in tree trimming and system upgrades to minimize the impact of storms. Since smart grid upgrades began in 2011, more than 19 million power outages have been avoided and overall reliability has improved by more than 80 percent. In 2022, ComEd had its best reliability on record.

ComEd's multi-year plans, shared earlier this year, will prioritize modernizing the electric grid to ensure it remains reliable and resilient as severe weather events become more common, strengthen the region's infrastructure and economy, and increase access to the benefits of clean energy and decarbonization under Illinois' Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA). These plans outline ComEd's investments to improve service reliability and storm response, including:

• Upgrading and replacing poor-performing or obsolete cable, wood poles and other equipment;
• Trimming or removing trees near power lines; and
• Deploying advanced analytics that help prevent power outages and improve restoration of service to customers.

"We continue to make investments to mitigate the impact of storms," said Perez. "Without that work, we likely would have seen many more customers lose service and longer restoration times."

Restoration priorities and safety

When responding to power outages caused by storms, ComEd's priority is to restore critical facilities such as police and fire stations, nursing homes and hospitals first, followed by repairs that will restore power to the greatest number of customers.

Public safety is paramount, and ComEd encourages customers to take the following precautions:

• If a downed power line is spotted, immediately call ComEd at 1-800-EDISON1 (1-800-334-7661). Spanish-speaking customers should call 1-800-95-LUCES (1-800-955-8237).
• Never approach a downed power line. Always assume a power line is extremely dangerous and energized.
• In the event of an outage, do not approach ComEd crews working to restore power to ask about restoration times. Crews may be working on live electrical equipment, and the perimeter of the work zone may be hazardous.

ComEd urges customers to contact the company immediately if they experience a power outage. Customers can text OUT to 26633 (COMED) to report an outage and receive restoration information and can follow the company on Twitter @ComEd or on Facebook at Facebook.com/ComEd. Customers can also call 1-800 EDISON1 (1-800-334-7661), or report outages via the website at ComEd.com/report. Spanish-speaking customers should call 1-800-95-LUCES (1-800-955-8237). 

ComEd's mobile app for iPhone and Android® smart phones gives customers the ability to report power outages and manage their accounts; download the app at ComEd.com/app.

ComEd's interactive outage map at ComEd.com/map allows customers to easily find information on the location and size of outages and get estimated power restoration times.

Energy efficiency tips for the hot weather

The projected storms come during a period of high heat and humidity. ComEd offers the following tips for customers to manage their energy usage and save money on their electric bills  during the heat:

• Clear area around cooling vents.
• Furniture, carpets, and other objects can block vents and prevent air from traveling. This blockage makes your cooling system work harder and prevents rooms from cooling down quickly.
• Use your windows to keep out heat.

• Install window coverings to prevent heat from getting in through your windows during the day.
• Operate your thermostat efficiently.
• During the cooling season, set your thermostat to as high a temperature as possible while still maintaining personal comfort.
• If you're not home for more than 8 hours, consider turning up your thermostat 7 to 10 degrees.
• Overnight, consider turning up your thermostat 3 to 4 degrees while sleeping.
• Use fans and ventilation to cool your home.
• If you use air conditioning to cool your home, a ceiling fan will allow you to raise the thermostat setting about 4°F with no reduction in comfort.
• Turn off ceiling fans when you leave the room. Remember that fans cool people, not rooms, by creating a wind chill effect. 

During the warmer-temperature months, set your fan counter-clockwise to push air towards the floor.