ComEd Completes One of Nation’s First Neighborhood Scale Community Microgrids in Bronzeville on Chicago’s South Side

ComEd today joined leaders from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the City of Chicago and the community of Bronzeville to mark the completion of the Bronzeville Community Microgrid (BCM) – one of the nation’s first neighborhood scale community microgrids. The new technology was ceremonially switched on at the Chicago Housing Authority’s (CHA’s) Dearborn Homes property, which supports the project with energy generated by rooftop and ground-mounted solar systems. The BCM was funded, in part, through DOE grants.

“The electric grid plays a key role in powering lives for our customers and communities, rain or shine, and we’re committed to deploying cutting edge technologies that will harden the system against storms, severe weather and cyber threats,” said Gil Quiniones, ComEd President and CEO. “The Bronzeville microgrid plays an essential role in preparing communities for an equitable clean energy transition and will deliver important benefits to boost power resiliency for over 1,000 customers on the City of Chicago’s south side. Thanks to the DOE and countless community partners who have given feedback through the design and testing process, we are thrilled to switch on the Bronzeville microgrid and to leverage new and emerging tech to enhance the experience of our customers here in Chicago and across northern Illinois.”

In addition to approximately 1,000 area customers, Bronzeville houses a high concentration of critical infrastructure, including the Chicago Police headquarters, making grid resiliency a high priority. In 2025, the BCM will be connected to the microgrid at the nearby Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) to create one of the nation’s first utility operated microgrid clusters, enabling a sharing of resources and enhanced resilience to grid disturbances.

“This project is the culmination of nearly a decade of work with the Department of Energy, ComEd, and Bronzeville investing to make this a reality,” U.S. Senator Dick Durbin said. “Researchers from Argonne National Lab and the Illinois Institute of Technology were tasked with bringing the technology for this microgrid to life, and we now have a more resilient, self-sufficient, and cleaner grid. I’m happy to celebrate this achievement with the community and all the dedicated people who worked hard to make this microgrid a reality.”