Delivering safe, reliable electricity is essential to Illinois’ economic growth. ComEd provides top quartile reliability and an array of innovative programs and services to 3.8 million customers across northern Illinois, representing 70 percent of the state’s population. ComEd strategically partners with state and regional development stakeholders to grow Illinois’ diverse business base.
Top-Performing Electric Reliability
ComEd’s power system reliability in 2014 was the company’s second best on record, second only to the company’s 2013 performance, which was the best in company history with the fewest customer interruptions. The strength of the electrical system has benefited hundreds of thousands of residents and businesses throughout northern Illinois. ComEd is among the top ten percent nationally for electric reliability for commercial and industrial customers, based on benchmarking with 28 peer utilities.
Competitive Energy Market
Illinois offers customers a robust, competitive electric supply market with more than 50 certified suppliers. Competition helps keep electricity rates low. Illinois prices have averaged ten percent below the national average since the Illinois electric industry was deregulated in 1999, resulting in more than $41 billion in electricity cost savings for businesses, government, schools, hospitals and households.** (More information:
www.ComEdPowerPath.com). Illinois’ competitive energy rates compare favorably across the Midwest and country.
Business-Focused Energy Efficiency Programs
ComEd has an extensive portfolio of energy efficiency programs that offer a variety of incentives to help businesses manage energy use and save money on electricity bills. ComEd calculates energy savings and offers incentives for energy efficiency in both existing and new facilities, including more than $70 million in incentives available for business programs this year, allowing customers to save money through more efficient operations. As a result, ComEd business customers have saved more than $440 million in electricity costs since the program’s inception in 2008. (More information: ComEd.com/BizIncentives)
Regional Resource Advantage
ComEd’s system is part of the PJM Interconnection, a major regional transmission organization serving 13 states and the District of Columbia, which further enhances reliability and offers more competitive supply options to northern Illinois businesses through access to over 183,000 MW of diverse installed generation capacity. (More information: PJM.com)
Electric Infrastructure for the 21st Century Economy
With passage of the Smart Grid law in 2011, ComEd embarked on a 10-year, $2.6 billion program to modernize the power system in northern Illinois. The investments will further enhance reliability and be an asset to businesses that value a modern, reliable electric system as well as a digital-based smart grid. ComEd is over 50% complete with infrastructure enhancements and more than 1 million new digital smart meters have been installed. (More information: ComEd.com/SmartGrid)