ComEd Unsure When Power Will be Restored After Storm

As of 3 p.m. July 11, officials of ComEd still could not estimate how soon power would be restored to customers, including those in La Grange and La Grange Park, who lost electrical service due to this morning’s storms with 75-mph winds.

“It’s too early to tell,“ said a ComEd spokesman. This was the worst storm in decades and it will take days to restore power everywhere, he said. A total of 817,000 customers lost power this morning and 561,000 still did not have service as of 3 p.m., he said.

Some 92,000 customers still were without power, as of 2 p.m., in Chicago and ComEd’s  Maywood region, which includes La Grange Park. A separate map on ComEd’s Web site, www.comed.com/sites/customerservice/Pages/OutageMap, shows 10,001-plus customers without service in the Maywood region alone. Another 10,001-plus do not have service in the Bolingbrook region, which includes La Grange.

No breakdown was available as of 2 p.m. on how many people in La Grange and La Grange Park lost power, said the spokesman.

Outages can by caused for various  reasons, including severe weather; trees or branches falling on power lines, severe winds blowing power lines against trees; lightning striking electrical equipment; or flooding of above- or underground electrical equipment, according to ComEd’s Web site.

Traffic signals were not working, as on noon, on 31st Street at Maple Avenue and Forest Road; and on LaGrange Road at Harding Road, 47th Street and Plainfield Road. Signals were out earlier at Kensington and Ogden avenues.

Public works officials were unavailable in La Grange and La Grange Park, but both villages posted storm information on their Web sites.

La Grange’s Public Works Department will perform a special pick-up this week of fallen tree limbs and branches, according to its Web site, www.villageoflagrange.com. Residents are asked to place tree debris in the parkway next to the curb for collection.

Residents are encouraged to report hanging branches and split limbs that are a safety concern by calling 9-1-1. This information will be forwarded to crews in the field.

“We are aware of power outages and downed wires in certain areas of the Village. We continue to communicate and exchange information with ComEd. Because of the widespread impact of the storm (400,000+ customers in the ComEd service area are without power), we are unable to provide any information on estimated time of restoration,” the site adds.

Police Chief Michael Holub said most damage reported was tree limbs and wires down. His department received 22 calls during the 40 minutes of the storm, he said. He had no estimate of number of outages.

La Grange Park’s Web site, www.lagrangepark.org, says the morning’s storm and high winds caused damage to several trees and possibly some power lines throughout the community. “At this time, public works crews are working to clear the public rights of way and driveways and sidewalks. 

Residents are advised to place storm debris (vegetation / brush) in the parkway for pick up by Public Works. “Please be patient, as crews are first addressing roadways and sidewalks as a matter of public safety. “

Residents are encouraged to assist the village in collecting information about the impacts of the storm”

The site says:

• To report a downed power line, call 9-1-1.
• To report a downed tree/branch that is blocking the roadway or driveway, call 708-352-2151 or 708-354-0225.

• To report a power outage, Call ComEd: 800-334-7661 and also please call Village Hall at 708-354-0225 so that we are aware of the location.

After public rights of way have been cleared, the Village may then begin the process of street clean up and branch pick up.

On a related note, a Com Ed representative will attend the July 12 Village Work Session Meeting to provide an overview of the company's response to outages that resulted from the June 21 storm.