2015 Marks Three Years of Record System Reliability for ComEd Customers

27 Ene 2016, 00:00 AM CST

Smart grid and system improvements help customers avoid millions of
customer interruptions – resulting in over $1 billion in societal
savings.

CHICAGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Since 2012, ComEd has been implementing smart grid and other system
improvements across its territory to strengthen and modernize the grid –
and those investments are paying off for customers with record
reliability. In 2015, ComEd customers experienced a 12 percent reduction
in the frequency of outages compared to 2014 and nearly 25 percent since
investments began. During that same time, the duration of outages has
been reduced by 42 percent.

The smart grid law passed by the Illinois General Assembly in 2011
opened the doors for ComEd to modernize its 100-year old system,
improving reliability while enhancing economic development in Illinois
and building smart infrastructure for the future.

Advanced technology like smart switches that reroute power around
potential problem areas, new storm hardening solutions and cable
replacement have contributed to more than 5.9 million avoided customer
interruptions since 2012 – resulting in $1.1 billion in societal
savings. Additionally, more than 3 million ComEd customers experienced
zero or only 1 outage last year.

“Our smart grid work has helped to deliver the best power reliability on
record for our customers for the last three years – ranking us in the
top 10 percent of utilities nationally and leading our region to
economic prowess in the digital economy,” said Anne Pramaggiore,
president and CEO of ComEd.

ComEd’s grid modernization work resulted in its recent ranking of 2^nd
nationally in the 2015 Grid Modernization Index, a national report
produced by the GridWise® Alliance and the Smart Grid Policy Center. The
report evaluates and ranks states based on their progress in modernizing
their electric systems with smart grid technologies, with three key
areas assessed: policy, customer engagement and grid operations.

In addition, in 2015, Site Selection Magazine, an industry-leading
economic development publication, recognized ComEd as a Top 10 Utility
Economic Development Practice, as measured against utilities across the
country. In addition to improving reliability, smart grid work has
supported 4,800 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs in Illinois, including
approximately 1,800 FTE jobs at the utility and its contractors.

“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,” said Terence R. Donnelly,
executive vice-president and chief operating officer for ComEd. “Because
of the investments we’ve been making and the partnerships we’ve
established, we’ve laid a strong foundation for the future and are
meeting our customers’ evolving needs.”

In 2015, focused on expanding the benefits of the Smart Grid Law, ComEd
introduced its Future Energy Plan, which will grow energy efficiency
programs, increase access to renewable energy sources, and set policy to
provide affordability amidst clean energy innovation. This Future Energy
Plan legislation also aims to continue the state’s economic development
via a boost to the state’s emerging green economy.

Commonwealth Edison Company (ComEd) is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon
Corporation (NYSE: EXC), the nation’s leading competitive energy
provider, with approximately 7.8 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.