ComEd, mayors caucus award grants to 21 communities

To accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles and other clean energy technologies, as well as to support local public safety initiatives, ComEd and the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus Tuesday announced winners of the 2023 Powering Safe Communities grant program.

The 21 grants, totaling $169,500, will help support a variety of projects in communities across northern Illinois, including several in the Northwest and West suburbs.

• Addison Fire Department received a grant to replace outdated ventilation fans with newer models to eliminate the department's dependence on fossil fuels and enhance firefighter safety.

• Bartlett Police Departmentreceived a grant to help update automatic external defibrillator devices (AEDs) used by patrol officers and provide AED training for all village departments.

• Evanston received a grant to help the city prepare for increased public safety vehicle electrification by installing a new EV charging station for the police department. The grant will also enable the city to purchase an EV to support public safety efforts at outdoor community events.

• Lisle received a grant to support the installation of the first public EV charging station in downtown Lisle.

• Skokie received a grant to support the purchase and installation of a new EV charging station near multifamily housing and downtown businesses.

"ComEd is proud to work with the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus to support community-led plans to promote the adoption of EVs and other clean energy technologies that will enhance air quality throughout the region," said Louie Binswanger, senior vice president of government, regulatory and external affairs at ComEd.