CHICAGO, Jan 23, 2026, 05:36 CST
- Commonwealth Edison has put forward a $15.3 billion grid investment plan to Illinois regulators, targeting upgrades from 2028 through 2031.
- ComEd projected that, if approved, the plan might boost the average residential monthly bill by roughly $2.50 to $3.00 beginning in 2028.
- The proposal is now entering a state review process slated to conclude this year, with a distinct rate filing expected in 2027.
Commonwealth Edison (ComEd) has filed a $15.3 billion, four-year grid upgrade proposal with the Illinois Commerce Commission, targeting improvements from 2028 to 2031 amid rising electricity demand. If approved, the plan could boost the average residential monthly bill by roughly $2.50 to $3.00 starting in 2028, ComEd estimated. The utility noted that demand growth is already straining over 70 substations across its network serving about 4 million customers in northern Illinois. (Power System Technology)
The proposal arrives as the region aims to attract major power consumers like data centers, with electric vehicle adoption rising and buildings increasingly relying on electricity. Utility planners are bracing for the surge. Regulators now face the question of how aggressively to prepare.
The battle isn’t really about the market price of electricity, but the delivery fees that cover the wires-and-poles network and utility profits. Once a utility signs off on long-term projects, the costs usually get passed on to consumers, even if the actual work happens years down the line.
ComEd’s plan includes building new substations, boosting capacity on existing lines, and upgrading to advanced, or smart, meters. It also promises quicker interconnection for new solar and wind projects and tougher gear designed to withstand extreme weather.
“A reliable, affordable and modern power grid is the foundation of economic growth and quality of life in northern Illinois,” said ComEd President and CEO Gil Quiniones. The Exelon unit highlighted its plan’s alignment with the Illinois Climate and Equitable Jobs Act and the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act. ComEd pointed to nine major commercial projects announced last year, with over $13 billion in planned investment. The company also noted more than 1.4 gigawatts of distributed solar already connected to its system. Regulators are expected to decide on the plan by the end of 2026, before a separate rate filing scheduled for January 2027. (Business Wire)
ComEd is relying more on software and communications to handle a grid where power flows in both directions—from rooftop solar, batteries, and traditional power plants. One tool they highlight is DERMS, a distributed energy resource management system that forecasts, monitors, and controls these dispersed resources.
Illinois regulators are pressing utilities to provide clearer evidence on reliability spending. In a December 2024 final order linked to ComEd’s inaugural multi-year grid plan, the commission demanded that ComEd and Ameren create more transparent methods for valuing avoided outages and assessing the cost-effectiveness of their reliability investments. (Illinois Commerce Commission)
Consumer groups are gearing up to closely scrutinize the new filing, flagging affordability as their main concern. “We are concerned how any rate hike will impact consumers,” said Sarah Moskowitz, Executive Director of the Citizens Utility Board, in a statement following the 2024 ruling on ComEd’s previous plan. (PR Newswire)
Ameren Illinois isn’t standing still either. The utility submitted a four-year integrated grid plan covering 2028-2031 under CEJA, targeting a full transition to carbon-free energy by 2050. The state commission has roughly 11 months to deliver a decision. (Ameren)
The math can flip fast. Should data center or EV demand fall short of projections, or if project expenses climb, regulators might scale back investments or delay schedules — easing short-term rate hikes but increasing the chance of capacity crunches down the road.
The grid plan doesn’t determine rates yet. The ICC’s ruling, due by the end of 2026, will decide ComEd’s budget for the 2028-2031 stretch and set the stage for the next pricing battle in the 2027 rate case.
