Illinois Moves Up to #2 in the Nation for Electrical Grid Modernization

In 2015 ComEd achieved record reliability for a third year in a row, much of it due to smart grid work begun in 2012. This modernization work, along with ComEd’s focus on customer engagement, helped position Illinois as the second in nation in the 2015 Grid Modernization Index (GMI).

The report, produced by the GridWise® Alliance and the Smart Grid Policy Center, evaluates and ranks states based on their progress in modernizing their electric systems with smart grid technologies. The GMI applies a clearly defined set of criteria to evaluate the progress of state grid modernization efforts in three key areas: policy, customer engagement and grid operations.

“Our smart grid work has helped to deliver the best three years on record of power reliability for our customers,” said Anne Pramaggiore, ComEd president and chief executive officer. “From reliability to customer options to job creation and growing businesses, our smart grid investments are delivering on the promise of great value for our customers and state.”

While Illinois moved up this year to the number two spot overall, it ranks as number one in the State Support category, which analyzes, evaluates and rates states’ policies to advance and encourage grid modernization, including incentives, technology advancement and emission reduction goals. Illinois also holds the number two spot, second only to California, on the customer engagement category, which measures topics such as the availability of dynamic pricing programs, customer outreach and education efforts and data accessibility.

The smart grid law passed by the Illinois General Assembly in 2011 and opened the doors for ComEd to modernize its 100-year old system and provide customers with improved reliability, more programs and options to manage electricity usage, while also enhancing economic development in Illinois and building smart infrastructure for the future.

Introduced in 2015, ComEd’s Future Energy Plan is focused on expanding the benefits of the Smart Grid Law by growing energy efficiency programs, increasing access to renewable energy sources, and setting policy to ensure affordability amidst clean energy innovation. This Future Energy Plan legislation also aims to continue the state’s economic development via a boost to green economy. Under the smart grid program more than 4,600 local jobs have been created and the Future Energy Plan is on track to continue that trend by creating hundreds of new jobs.

“ComEd’s Future Energy Plan, proposed legislation that will build upon smart grid foundation to help deliver a cleaner, greener more affordable energy future for Illinois and our customers while placing our state on the leading edge of grid modernization,” said Terence R. Donnelly, ComEd executive vice-president and chief operating officer.

The entire report is available at www.gridwise.org.

Commonwealth Edison Company (ComEd) is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC), the nation’s leading competitive energy provider, with approximately 6.6 million customers. ComEd provides service to approximately 3.8 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 and YouTube.

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