ComEd finishing improvements in Oak Brook

ComEd says it is replacing more than 1,400 feet of underground cable to bolster the reliability of service in Oak Brook.

Officials on Tuesday said the improvements should be completed by January.

The company also is installing roughly 5,300 feet of an extremely strong aerial cable designed to reinforce overhead electrical wires to protect against falling tree limbs, officials said.

ComEd is scheduled next month to start a $1.3 billion program to strengthen its existing power grid in northern Illinois by replacing thousands of miles of cable and poles, and upgrading substations and equipment. The company will spend another $1.3 billion to digitize the electric system, including distribution automation devices that will automatically reroute power around a problem; install a smart meter in every home; and utilize other Smart Grid technologies, officials said.