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New investments and storm response enhancements are enabling ComEd to improve overall power restoration times.

Following the storm that hit July 18th, ComEd restored power to 174,000 customers within 50 hours – well below the 65 hours storms of this size have traditionally required. Following the July 24th storm, more than a quarter million customers were restored within the first 24 hours — more than 99 percent were restored one day earlier than projected. On Aug. 4, heavy lightning and winds as high as 80 M.P.H. swept through the service area, knocking down utility poles and power lines. While 248,000 customers lost service, more than 90 percent were restored by mid-afternoon the next day.

New communications and operations technology contribute to improved performance. Enhanced GPS and mobile dispatch technology provide dispatchers a visual of outage and crew locations, enabling them to route crews more efficiently.

ComEd has deployed its new Mobile Command Center to manage restoration in the hardest hit areas. Equipped with the latest communications, satellite and video conferencing technology, the MCC enables ComEd to get closer to customers and expedite damage assessment and restoration.

Communications with customers also is improving with expanded call center capacity, plus a two-way texting service, a new mobile app that enables them to report outages and an outage map at Comed.com.