With a mix of freezing rain and snow forecasted across northern Illinois starting this afternoon, ComEd is increasing crew staffing and readying equipment to respond if power outages occur.

Forecasts project the potential for icy rain, which can collect on power lines and tree branches, which can potentially cause power interruptions.

'We are positioning our crews and equipment to respond quickly and safely to any interruptions that occur from this ice storm,' said David R. Perez, COO of ComEd. 'We understand that any outage is an inconvenience to our customers, especially during winter weather systems. We have been investing in the grid to minimize the impact that storms like this have on our system, and our crews are standing by to support the 9 million people that count on us to deliver reliable electricity.'

ComEd was recently named the most reliable utility in the country as a result of its grid modernizations and investments in tree trimming and system upgrades to minimize the impact of storms. Since smart grid upgrades began in 2011, more than 19 million power outages have been avoided and overall reliability has improved by more than 70 percent.

When responding to power outages caused by storms, ComEd's priority is to restore critical facilities such as police and fire stations, nursing homes and hospitals first, followed by those outages that will restore the greatest number of customers.

The safety of the public and crews to restore power is ComEd's top priority. ComEd encourages customers to take the following precautions to remain safe:

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.

ComEd urges customers to contact the company immediately if they experience a power outage. Customers can text OUT to 26633 (COMED) to report an outage and receive restoration information and can follow the company on Twitter @ComEd or on Facebook at Facebook.com/ComEd. Customer can also call 1-800-EDISON1 (1-800-334-7661) or report outages via the website at ComEd.com/report. Spanish-speaking customers should call 1-800-95-LUCES (1-800-955-8237).

ComEd's mobile app for iPhone and Android smart phones gives customers the ability to report power outages and manage their accounts; download the app at ComEd.com/app.

ComEd's interactive outage map at ComEd.com/map allows customers to easily find information on the location and size of outages and get estimated power restoration times.

ComEd is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation (NASDAQ: EXC), a Fortune 250 energy company with approximately 10 million electricity and natural gas customers - the largest number of customers in the U.S. ComEd powers the lives of more than 4 million customers across northern Illinois, or 70 percent of the state's population.

Contact:

Tel: 312-394-3500

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