Village leaders push back against proposed ComEd power line
Officials in some of the villages along the route of a proposed ComEd power line that would serve as a backup to the current line aren't happy with the aesthetics of the 170-foot poles the project will bring or what they see as the last minute timing of the proposal.
ComEd's West Central Transmission Line would connect substations in Bartlett and Itasca, and mainly run along the Elgin-O'Hare Expressway. The line would consist of new steel poles varying in height from 140 feet to 170 feet and the power lines.
Itasca Village Administrator Evan Teich says the poles, some almost as tall as the village's water tower, would be unsightly.
“Itasca, as well as other communities to the west, have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to make the Elgin-O'Hare corridor aesthetically pleasing,” Teich said. “Only to have ComEd come in at the eleventh hour and put upward of 140-foot polls and a power line in.”
The current substations are served by a single wood pole line, but the new steel pole line, projected to cost between $55 million and $65 million, would serve as a back up to prevent outages in the area. Steel poles are also more durable.
The line could improve service reliability for 100,000 ComEd households and businesses in Hanover Park, Bartlett, Roselle, Streamwood, Schaumburg, Bloomingdale and Itasca, ComEd Communications Manager Liz Keating says.
She adds the route was chosen because it would have “minimal impact” on neighborhoods and businesses.
“Part of the reason ComEd chose this path is because the Elgin-O'Hare already goes through,” Keating said. “It's based on the least impact to people who live in that area.”
Hanover Park Village President Rod Craig says he can see the benefits of having an auxiliary line, but he and other municipal leaders he's talked to have concerns about the plan's aesthetics. He says mayors have been meeting about and discussing road and aesthetic improvements for the area around the Elgin-O'Hare Expressway for a long time.
“And after all is said and done, here comes ComEd and they want to stick in some polls after the fact,” Craig said. “This is an area where I'm trying to develop a future downtown, and we want it to look nice.”
Craig says he's already reached out to neighboring communities and wants to help facilitate discussion with ComEd to get their plan “on the right track.”
Bartlett Public Works Director Dan Dinges says the village doesn't really have a problem with the proposed line because the substation is on the far east end of town. “It's not really coming through Bartlett,” Dinges said.
ComEd has scheduled four community meetings in Schaumburg and Roselle in January to discuss the plans and gather input from community members. But Teich points out none of the meetings are in Itasca or Bartlett.
ComEd must get the go-ahead from the Illinois Commerce Commission before starting construction. Keating says ComEd expects to hear from the ICC by the end of 2016. If officials get the OK, ComEd plans to start work in 2017 and have it completed by the summer of 2018.
Schaumburg meetings will be held in the Schaumburg Park District Renaissance Room at 505 N. Springinsguth Road from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesdays Jan. 5 and 19.
Roselle meetings will be at the American Legion at 334 E. Maple Ave. from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 14, and Wednesday, Jan. 27.