In anticipation of significant weather coming to northern Illinois on Tuesday evening, ComEd is preparing for potential power outages as it gets equipment and additional crews in place.

The current forecast call for strong winds with gusts up to 60 miles per hour, lightning and rain, with a potential for tornadic activity, as well.

'We recognize that outages at any time are inconvenient,' said David Perez, executive vice president and COO of ComEd. 'Our goal is to get our customers and communities back quickly and safely to minimize the interruption to their lives and livelihoods. Crews will work around the clock to make repairs so we get the power flowing for any and every customer who experiences an outage.'

ComEd has been investing in system upgrades and vegetation management to minimize the impact of storms. Since smart grid upgrades began in 2011, more than 21 million power outages have been avoided and overall reliability has improved by more than 70 percent.

When responding to power outages caused by storms, ComEd's priority is to restore critical facilities such as police and fire stations, nursing homes and hospitals first, followed by repairs that will restore power to the greatest number of customers.

Public safety is paramount, and ComEd encourages customers to take the following precautions: If a downed power line is spotted, immediately call ComEd at 1-800-EDISON1 (1-800-334-7661). Spanish-speaking customers should call 1-800-95-LUCES (1-800-955-8237).

Never approach a downed power line. Always assume a power line is extremely dangerous and energized.

In the event of an outage, do not approach ComEd crews working to restore power to ask about restoration times. Crews may be working on live electrical equipment, and the perimeter of the work zone may be hazardous.

ComEd urges customers to contact the company immediately if they experience a power outage. Customers can text OUT to 26633 (COMED) to report an outage and receive restoration information and can follow the company on Twitter @ComEd or on Facebook at Facebook.com/ComEd. Customers can also call 1-800 EDISON1 (1-800-334-7661), or report outages via the website at ComEd.com/report. Spanish-speaking customers should call 1-800-95-LUCES (1-800-955-8237).

ComEd's mobile app for iPhone and Android smart phones gives customers the ability to report power outages and manage their accounts; download the app at ComEd.com/app.

ComEd's interactive outage map at ComEd.com/map allows customers to easily find information on the location and size of outages and get estimated power restoration times.

ComEd is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation (NASDAQ: EXC), a Fortune 250 energy company with approximately 10 million electricity and natural gas customers - the largest number of customers in the U.S. ComEd powers the lives of more than 4 million customers across northern Illinois, or 70 percent of the state's population.

Contac:

Tel: 1-312-394-3500

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