ComEd Restores Power to 80% of Customers After Devastating Northern Illinois Storms — Commonwealth Edison Company

Event summary

ComEd restored power to over 80% of the nearly 410,000 customers affected by severe storms in northern Illinois on August 11-12.
The storms caused widespread damage, including downed trees, utility poles, and multiple confirmed tornadoes, with the largest impacts in communities like Homewood, Flossmoor, and Joliet.
As of Thursday morning, approximately 328,000 customers had their service restored, with nearly 4,500 ComEd personnel and contractors engaged in restoration efforts.
This marks the 20th major weather event affecting ComEd customers in 2026, with at least 52 confirmed tornadoes impacting the service territory this year.

The big picture

ComEd's restoration efforts come amid an exceptionally active severe weather season in northern Illinois, with 2026 marking the highest number of major weather events affecting the utility in over two decades. The scale of damage and the frequency of storms highlight the growing challenges utilities face in maintaining grid reliability in the face of climate change. ComEd's response will be closely watched by regulators and investors as a test case for operational resilience in an era of increasing natural disasters.

What we're watching

Operational Resilience: How ComEd's ability to sustain restoration efforts amid repeated severe weather events will impact customer satisfaction and regulatory scrutiny.
Regulatory Scrutiny: Whether the frequency and severity of storms in 2026 will prompt calls for increased investment in grid hardening or changes in utility regulation.
Execution Risk: The pace at which ComEd can restore power to the remaining affected customers, particularly in hard-hit southern regions.