ComEd: Coming Improvements Will Cut Western Springs Outages

With the rollout of the first stages of a massive $2.6 billion plan to modernize their entire Chicagoland grid, electric company Commonwealth Edison is promising that new improvements beginning as soon as this month will decrease the frequency and duration of power outages in Western Springs.

The first step that ComEd is taking for Western Springs is the installation of two “distribution automation devices” in McCook on lines pertinent to the Village grid, an improvement scheduled for the first quarter of 2012. Working in tandem with a modernized system, DADs will automatically reroute power through new lines when an outage is sensed.

“Not only can you significantly shorten the length of potential interruptions, but you can also prevent many of them,” said ComEd rep Martha Swaney. “A customer might only experience a flash of the lights as opposed to a more significant outage.”

During the rest of 2012, ComEd also plans to replace, repair or insert more than 2,000 feet of underground residential cable (URD) in Western Springs, specifically targeting areas where faulty cabling may be responsible for power interruptions. Swaney said that this will also help prevent power outages.

Additionally, the company has pledged to carry out “other enhancements” in Western Springs, including the trimming of trees, to improve service.

“We’re continuing to roll out various enhancements that are intended to improve performance and reduce service interruptions for customers,” Swaney said.

Relations between ComEd and Western Springs have not always been smooth, with Ridgewood residents in particular with company representatives to complain about frequent and lengthy outages, a meeting at which ComEd again touted their coming smart grid.

The company is heavily pushing the benefits of the October 2011 Illinois Energy Infrastructure Modernization Act, which paved the way for their 10-year, $2.6 grid improvement plans. Half of the money is devoted to improving cables and poles and weatherizing the system; the other half is for digitization, digital detection and the installation of digital meters in residents' homes.

“The grid modernization law is a value promise made to Illinois consumers,” said Anne Pramaggiore, ComEd President and CEO, in a press release. “Our entire organization is now focused on the critical construction programs that will deliver greater value to our customers through improved reliability and customer service.”