Com-Ed Weather alert
/ComEd Ready for Severe Weather Projected in Northern Illinois
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.
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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.
o 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.
o Install window coverings to prevent heat from getting in through your windows
during the day.
• Operate your thermostat efficiently.
o During the cooling season, set your thermostat to as high a temperature as
possible while still maintaining personal comfort.
o If you’re not home for more than 8 hours, consider turning up your thermostat
7 to 10 degrees.
o Overnight, consider turning up your thermostat 3 to 4 degrees while sleeping.
• Use fans and ventilation to cool your home.
o 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.
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o Turn off ceiling fans when you leave the room. Remember that fans cool
people, not rooms, by creating a wind chill effect.
o During the warmer-temperature months, set your fan counter-clockwise to
push air towards the floor.
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ComEd is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation (NASDAQ: EXC), a Fortune 250 energy
company with approximately 10 million electricity and natural gas customers – the largest number of
customers in the U.S. ComEd powers the lives of more than 4 million customers across northern
Illinois, or 70 percent of the state’s population. For more information visit ComEd.com and connect
with the company on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.