ComEd is responding to an isolated incident impacting customers in the western suburbs of Berwyn, Cicero, North Riverside, Riverside, Stickney, Forest Park, Maywood, Oak Park and parts of Chicago including Little Village, North Lawndale, Douglas Park, Garfield Park and Austin. At this point, no customers have lost service. However, demand on the local grid has reached a critical level, and ComEd is calling on customers to immediately reduce energy usage to help prevent outages in the hours ahead. ComEd is asking all customers to reduce electricity use right away — especially between noon and 8 p.m., when demand is highest and the grid is under the greatest strain. Recommended actions include:
• Raise the thermostat as high as is comfortably safe — every degree helps reduce strain on the system.
• Turn off unnecessary lights, chargers and electronic devices.
• Delay running energy-intensive appliances such as dishwashers, washing machines and dryers until later in the evening.
• Delay EV charging on home chargers, especially during daylight hours.
• Use ceiling or box fans to stay comfortable while reducing air conditioning demand.
• Close blinds, shades and curtains to block heat and keep homes cooler.
• Avoid nonessential electricity use during peak hours whenever possible.
