With severe weather potentially set to strike the Midwest on Wednesday, ComEd is urging residents to take safety precautions, and is positioning assets in the field to quickly respond to any power outages.
According to the Storm Prediction Center, parts of the Chicago area are under an “enhanced risk” of severe weather, with the main threats coming in the form of torrential downpours and dangerous straight-line winds.
Those winds could potentially impact power grids, knocking down power lines and tree branches, and as a result ComEd issued a press release announcing that it will active its Emergency Operations Center on Wednesday.
The utility will also position additional equipment and crews throughout the state to deal with power outages.
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“We are positioning our people and equipment to respond and quickly and safely restore power to any customers who experience outages from this storm,” ComEd President Terence Donnelly said in a statement.
The utility also provided some tips and advice to residents on how to prepare for storms, including charging cell phones and taking other precautions, including:
-If a downed power line is spotted, immediately call ComEd at 1-800-EDISON1.
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-Customers are reminded never to approach a downed power line. Residents should always assume that power lines are active and extremely dangerous.
-Customers are asked not to approach ComEd employees in the field. Crews may be working on live electrical equipment, and the job site may be dangerous.
Outages can also be reported by texting the word “OUT” to 26633.
Stay tuned to the NBC 5 app throughout Wednesday’s weather event, with live Doppler 5 radar, the latest updates on the storms and much more.
