ComEd Unveils $1.7 Billion Energy Efficiency Plan for Illinois Customers

Commonwealth Edison Company filed a $1.7 billion plan with the Illinois Commerce Commission to expand initiatives for energy efficiency and low-income assistance from 2022-2025, according to a March 2 news release. The four-year plan updates the energy efficiency plan that the commission approved in 2021 to reflect changes enabled by the state’s new clean energy law, including allowing electrification initiatives to partially meet energy efficiency goals. The program is designed to help customers reduce their energy use and save money on their energy bills.

The plan proposes over $113 million per year to income-eligible energy efficiency programs under the plan. These funds would be used to upgrade single-family and multifamily homes, build affordable new homes, as well as provide programs for income-eligible customers. An additional $10 million per year would be spent for income-eligible electrification measures, such as heating, cooling, water heating, and appliances that will improve customer quality of life while reducing their operating costs. The initiative also expands business and public sector programs to allow participation of large public and private customers that do not opt out.

The energy efficiency investments are designed to ensure the utility can keep up with grid performance and enhance capabilities both in support of the state’s policy goals, as well as those in the clean energy law. A few examples are maintaining adequate, reliable, and affordable electric service; integrating additional distributed energy resources; supporting beneficial electrification; and strengthening resilience to mitigate the severe weather effects of climate change, as well as emerging cyber and physical threats.

The company noted that customers have saved more than $6 billion on their energy bills since the inception of its energy efficiency programs in 2008.