ComEd Prepares for Thunderstorms and Extreme Heat in Northern Illinois

Customers encouraged to stay safe and report outages by texting OUT to 26633 (COMED)

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--With high temperatures and thunderstorms forecasted across northern Illinois starting Monday afternoon, ComEd is proactively opening its Emergency Operations Center and getting equipment and additional crews in place to respond to potential power outages. The forecast includes storms with possible wind gusts up to 60-70 miles per hour starting Monday afternoon followed by high temperatures expected to reach the upper 90s on Tuesday and Wednesday. A heat advisory calls for heat index values between 105 and 109 degrees on both days.

Since it started smart grid investments in 2012, ComEd has avoided more than 17 million customer interruptions by installing digital “smart switches” that automatically reroute power around problem areas. ComEd executives appeared at the Illinois Commerce Commission’s summer preparedness session this morning to discuss ComEd’s record-breaking reliability, how it has prepared for summer storms, and its continued work to make the grid more resilient to climate change impacts.

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 restoring areas with the greatest number of customers. The company will further increase its focus on critical care facilities as they are more critical than ever during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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. Additionally, for the safety of themselves and the public, crews are practicing social distancing.

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

ComEd is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation (NASDAQ: EXC), a Fortune 100 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.