Frustrated with ComEd over outages

I have lived in the north part of Wheaton for the past 16 years. I think it is fair to say that most of us who live in this roughly 7-by-4 block area enjoy the neighborhood.

There is however one major problem with living in this area; it is electrical power, or a lack thereof. It is a chronic problem, that is at best very frustrating, and at worst, extraordinarily maddening. I understand that old neighborhoods have overhead lines which increases the likelihood of outages when a storm passes through. I’m not talking about that. I am talking about the chronic outages that plague this area.

Why, ComEd? What is it that precludes you from fixing this, once and for all? What will it take to make sure that we have power every time the wind decides to blow at more than a gentle breeze? I have never once seen an explanation from ComEd. Not one of my neighbors understands why this happens so frequently? I have yet to see an apology, a credit, (for days without power and the myriad food items that spoil annually as a result) or a plan from Com Ed as to how they intend to improve and fix the situation.

I would love to see fewer television ads touting Com Ed’s social virtues; just fix our power. It seems utterly ridiculous to me that in this day and age we cannot keep the lights on in downtown Wheaton. What steps are being taken to fix it? When can we expect an answer? I don’t pretend to know what physically occurs for an entire neighborhood to lose power. But for it to happen to the same neighborhood so frequently, there is an underlying problem not being addressed.

Blair Stevens

Wheaton