TribLocal

By: Annemarie Mannion

The city of Elmhurst is looking at hiring a consultant to help develop a list of what it wants from ComEd to try to ensure that the reliability of electrical power is improved and to prevent outages that have lasted days and sometimes occur even on sunny, storm-free days.

During a committee of the whole meeting Monday, council members said there are two issues that need to be addressed. The first is getting ComEd to improve reliability over the next 12 to 18 months. The other is to decide what the city wants from Senate Bill1652, which would have provided for integration of smart-grid technology, which would be implemented over 10 years and is touted as a way to notify ComEd immediately when and where there is a power outage and reroute power to the area when possible.

The smart-grid technology, however, would require a massive investment in infrastructure, which some city council members said seems a lot to ask for when the city’s current infrastructure – which is decades old – doesn’t seem to be doing the job.

Expressing the frustration felt by many council members Ald. Chris Healy asked, “Whose fault is that? Is that anyone in Elmhurst’s fault? Or could it be ComEd’s fault?”

Although other communities like Downers Grove, Addison, and Oakbrook Terrace, and many others also have problems with power outages, council members said Elmhurst’s power problems are among the worst and they want to see that the city gets its share of any infrastructure improvements that the utility may do.

“I think the bill is over-enamored with smart-grid technology,” said Ald. Bob Dunn. “I think the focus needs to be (improving current) infrastructure.”

Most council members had signed a letter last month opposing the bill which was vetoed by Gov. Pat Quinn. State Senator Kirk Dilliard (R-Hinsdale), and State Representatives Chris Nybo (R-Elmhurst) and Dennis Reboletti (R-Elmhurst) were at Monday’s meeting and said that there is a movement to override the veto at legislative sessions that will take place in late October and November.

Click here for the full report from TribLocal

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