Hundreds of people in the Chicago area were left without power amid extreme and dangerously cold temperatures Friday morning.
ComEd reported at least 23 outages impacting nearly 880 customers as of 8 a.m. The bulk of the outages were reported in Cook County, with more than 600 customers affected.
By 8:30 a.m., that number dropped to 19 outages, with more than 280 customers affected, only eight of which were in Cook County.
The company had warned customers ahead of the brutally cold temperatures that brought wind chills near -40 degrees Friday, with cold expected to continue for several days.
“This is going to be a dangerous cold event that will spread across our entire system,” said David Perez, executive vice-president and chief operating officer, ComEd. “Our teams are actively monitoring the system and are fully prepared to respond, with crews ready to restore any outages swiftly and safely.”
For those who do experience an outage, they are urged to contact ComEd “immediately” by texting OUT to 26633, reporting the outage via their website, or calling 1-800 EDISON1 or 1-800-95-LUCES for Spanish.
You can track outages in your area using the company’s outage map here.
While the power company said it was taking extra measures to help customers without power during the bitter blast, it also urged people to take some precautions.
Those include:
If a downed power line is spotted, immediately call ComEd at 1-800-EDISON1 (1-800-334-7661). Spanish-speaking customers should call 1-800-95-LUCES (1-800-955-8237). Never approach a downed power line. Always assume a power line is extremely dangerous and energized. In the event of an outage, do not approach ComEd crews working to restore power to ask about restoration times. Crews may be working on live electrical equipment, and the perimeter of the work zone may be hazardous.Even if your power isn’t out, there are some ways to keep your home more efficient during this spell.
According to ComEd, you can:
Clear area around heating and cooling vents. Furniture, carpets, and other objects can block vents and prevent heated air from traveling. This blockage makes your heating system work harder and prevents rooms from warming up quickly. Clean or replace air filters once a month or as needed. Heating and cooling typically consumes the most energy in the average home. Dirty air filters make your furnace work harder to circulate air, which wastes energy and can increase your heating and cooling system costs. Weatherstrip windows and doors and seal cracks in your walls with caulk or foam. In most homes, the impact of air leaks on your energy use is similar to leaving a window open. Sealing air leaks to save you up to 15 percent on your heating and cooling costs. Set your thermostat at as low a temperature as possible to maintain personal comfort. The smaller the difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures, the lower your overall cooling bill will be. Also, keep your house cooler than normal when you are away or sleeping, then raise the thermostat setting when you return home or wake up. When the sun is shining, open shades on south-facing windows and take advantage of natural light for warmth. Close the shades during the night to help insulate your home.Hence then, the article about hundreds without power amid dangerously cold temperatures in chicago area was published today ( ) and is available on NBC Chicago ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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