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Pending ICC approval, KARE Project to sustain improved reliability and meet DeKalb’s growing energy demands
CHICAGO, January 17, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ComEd on Jan. 16 presented to the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) plans to construct a new transmission line in DeKalb County to meet growing energy demand, reinforce grid reliability and support economic growth. If approved, the Kishwaukee Area Reliability Extension (KARE) Project will be constructed south of the city of DeKalb beginning next year.
"We are pleased to help support continued economic growth in DeKalb County by making the transmission investments needed to ensure delivery of efficient and reliable electrical service to ComEd customers throughout the area," said David Perez, EVP and COO, ComEd. "ComEd’s KARE Project is the least cost and best fit approach to meeting the growing demand for electricity in the area, and we are grateful for the input of DeKalb County businesses and residential customers throughout the planning process."
The KARE Project includes a double-circuit 345 kilovolt (KV) overhead transmission line extending approximately 6 miles -- mainly on existing right-of-way -- as well as a new 345 KV substation. The Project is designed to extend an existing ComEd transmission line to connect with the new substation near the intersection of Keslinger Road and Crego Road in Afton Township. It will enable ComEd to continue meeting its service reliability obligations for the DeKalb region and support the connection of additional facilities required by future load growth.
In addition to holding public meetings last summer, ComEd met with local landowners to answer questions about the Project and proposed routing options. The Project has also been shared with DeKalb Mayor Cohen Barnes and representatives of the DeKalb County Economic Development Corporation.
"Our unprecedented period of economic growth places new demands on all forms of infrastructure, including the area’s electrical grid," said Mayor Barnes. "By supporting this plan, we are doing what is necessary to meet current and future energy requirements of the business community, from mom-and-pop businesses to Fortune 500 companies, as well as residential customers who have come to expect reliable service even in the face of more frequent and more severe storms due to climate change. We believe ComEd’s KARE Project will help accomplish these goals."
ComEd partnered with Burns & McDonnell, a nationally recognized engineering firm with extensive experience in the electrical transmission sector, to conduct the routing study for the KARE Project. Data was collected in a 23-square-mile area to inform the development of route alternatives and assess existing conditions and the natural and cultural resources within the study area. The proposed routing options minimize impact to the land and surrounding community.