The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) has approved ComEd’s Grid Reliability Infrastructure Transformation (GRIT) Project, which will add underground transmission lines and a new substation in the Elk Grove Village, Wood Dale and Bensenville areas. The project is intended to support electric grid reliability and accommodate growing energy demand in the region.

The ICC issued a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN), which allows a public utility to construct major infrastructure following public review of the project’s need, design and public benefits.

“The ICC’s approval of GRIT provides a clear path to make a critical investment in the transmission system serving one of northern Illinois’ most important economic corridors,” said ComEd Executive Vice President and COO David Perez. “This project will give our operators greater flexibility to move power through the region, strengthen resilience during extreme weather and other unexpected events, and help ensure reliable service as communities and businesses grow.”

The GRIT project includes four underground 138-kilovolt (kV) transmission lines and a new substation. The infrastructure will form an underground transmission ring connecting three substations, allowing electricity to flow in multiple directions. If a reliability issue occurs on part of the system, ComEd will be able to reroute power through an alternate pathway, helping reduce the number and duration of service interruptions while improving grid flexibility and resilience.

Construction is scheduled to begin this fall with grading and drainage work for the Dierking substation in the Elk Grove Village area near the Elmhurst Road corridor. Underground transmission work in the other project areas is scheduled to begin in January 2027. The project is expected to be completed and placed into service in the second quarter of 2029. ComEd will coordinate with local authorities throughout construction and the energization process.

During the routing planning process, ComEd held two rounds of in-person public open houses in Cook and DuPage counties, along with a virtual public open house in 2025. Feedback from residents, property owners, local governments and other stakeholders helped inform the transmission line route selection and the company’s CPCN application to the ICC.

The project is intended to provide adequate, efficient and reliable service to existing customers and accommodate new energy demand. Several large-load customers have entered the Wood Dale and Elk Grove Village areas, creating a need for additional transmission infrastructure to help regional substations route power and maintain reliability.

The project’s underground design reflects its proximity to Chicago O’Hare International Airport, where Federal Aviation Administration height restrictions limit the feasibility of overhead transmission structures. Underground construction is also suited to the area’s developed and congested landscape.

ComEd stated that it does not build new grid capacity without a demonstrated need. Infrastructure investments are based on actual and forecasted customer demand, including customer service requests and deposits, to help ensure capacity is built where and when it is needed.