ComEd: Power Restored to 80% After Weekend Storms

08/17/2025 – 04:13 PM

Restoration response continues to restore all customers following strong storms and high winds

CHICAGO — Following a weekend pummeling by severe storms packing winds up to 70 mph, ComEd is scrambling to restore power across northern Illinois. The utility giant reported that crews have managed to bring more than 80% of impacted customers back online after two rounds of intense weather on Saturday and Sunday ripped through the region. Some of the hardest hit areas include Crystal Lake, DeKalb, Joliet, Mount Prospect, Rockford, and Skokie.

As of 10 a.m. Sunday, roughly 40,000 customers were still in the dark. ComEd has deployed over 500 crews to tackle the widespread outages, with an additional 33 crews expected to join the effort Sunday afternoon. The company anticipates that nearly all remaining customers will have their power restored by 2 p.m. Monday, based on the impact of storms with similar magnitude.

The company’s restoration strategy prioritizes critical infrastructure. Facilities like police and fire stations, nursing homes, and hospitals are first in line for restoration, followed by repairs impacting the largest number of customers.

“Safely restoring power to all our customers impacted by this weekend’s storms remains our number one priority, and our dedicated crews are working around the clock to bring all affected customers back,” said David Perez, executive vice president and COO of ComEd. “We recognize that losing power at any time can be frustrating, and we appreciate our customers’ patience as we continue to assess damage throughout the region and restore power.”

ComEd has been investing heavily in grid modernization and tree trimming programs. Since upgrades began in 2011, the utility says it has avoided more than 24.7 million power outages and improved overall reliability by more than 57%. These investments come as climate change is expected to increase the frequency and intensity of severe weather events. In 2024, ComEd was named most reliable utility in the Midwest.

Public safety remains a key concern. ComEd urges customers to adhere to the following precautions:

If a downed power line is spotted, immediately call ComEd at 800-EDISON1 (800-334-7661). Spanish-speaking customers should call 800-95-LUCES (800-955-8237).
Never approach a downed power line. Always assume a power line is extremely dangerous and energized.
In the event of an outage, do not approach ComEd crews working to restore power to ask about restoration times. Crews may be working on live electrical equipment, and the perimeter of the work zone may be hazardous.

ComEd urges customers to contact the company immediately if they experience a power outage. Customers can text OUT to 26633 (COMED) to report an outage and receive restoration information and can follow the company on Twitter @ComEd or on Facebook at Facebook.com/ComEd. Customers can also call 800 EDISON1 (800-334-7661), or report outages via the website at ComEd.com/Report. Spanish-speaking customers should call 800-95-LUCES (800-955-8237).

With ComEd’s new Outage Tracker, customers can report outages, check estimated time of restoration, view crew status updates, and explore our outage map. Visit ComEd.com/OutageTracker.

ComEd’s mobile app for iPhone and Android® smart phones gives customers the ability to report power outages and manage their accounts; download the app at ComEd.com/App.

ComEd is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation (NASDAQ: EXC), a Fortune 200 company and one of the nation’s largest utility companies, serving more than 10.7 million electricity and natural gas customers. ComEd powers the lives of more than 4 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, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, and YouTube.

ComEd: Power Restored to 80% After Weekend Storms