ComEd: The Reality of Your Bill, Outages, and Customer Service

The Illusion of Preparedness: ComEd's Thanksgiving Forecast

ComEd is telling everyone it's ready for the Thanksgiving 2025 wind and snow. They've opened the Emergency Operation Center, prepped extra equipment, and are working "around the clock." David Perez, executive vice president and COO, assures us they know any interruption can impact holiday plans. It all sounds proactive. But let's dig into what's really happening under the surface.

The Smart Meter Paradox

Here's the core issue that ComEd’s press releases conveniently omit: while they’re promising rapid response to weather-related outages, their own equipment may be causing problems. The case of Steve Starobrat, an Elgin resident, highlights this perfectly. He had a ComEd smart meter melt down, causing $4,500 in damage to his home's electrical system. ComEd denied his claim, stating "no negligence on the part of ComEd." Elgin man claims smart meter damaged his home but ComEd won’t pay

Starobrat's case isn't an isolated incident. Consumer complaints about smart meters have jumped 54% in the first ten months of 2025 compared to the previous year, according to Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) data. That's not a blip; that's a trend. Jim Chilsen of the Citizens Utility Board sums it up: customers feel like they're "banging their head against the wall" when dealing with ComEd. And I’ve looked at enough utility company filings to know that “customer satisfaction” is usually the first thing to go when profits are on the line.

It’s a PR strategy as old as time: loudly proclaim preparedness for external threats while quietly ignoring internal vulnerabilities.

Workforce Training: A Numbers Game?

ComEd also touts its commitment to community-driven workforce programming, specifically the Power Up Academy, which won the 2025 Community Partner Award. ComEd Honored with 2025 Community Partner Award for Power Up Academy The program trains adult learners for entry-level technical roles, addressing a shortage of technical talent. Melissa Y. Washington, SVP at ComEd, calls it "an investment in people and our communities."

But what kind of investment is it, really? The Power Up Academy is a 14-week program. That’s about 3 and a half months, for those keeping score. They’re teaching AutoCAD, electrical concepts, and project management – skills that typically take years to master. Are they genuinely creating skilled technicians, or are they churning out warm bodies to fill quotas and collect PR points?

The program does offer the opportunity to qualify for up to 13 credit hours at City College of Chicago. That's a positive – a tangible benefit (though 13 credit hours is still less than a full semester's worth). But let's be clear: a few college credits don't negate the need for on-the-job experience and continuous training.

Here’s the thought leap: How is the data gathered for the Power Up Academy’s success stories? Are they tracking long-term job retention rates, or just the initial placement numbers? Because a job placement is meaningless if those people are unemployed again in six months.

The Signal-to-Noise Ratio is Off

ComEd is sending out a lot of signals. They're talking about emergency preparedness, smart meter safety, and workforce development. But the noise – the actual data on complaints, equipment malfunctions, and the depth of their training programs – tells a different story. It’s a classic case of corporate messaging obscuring operational realities. (It reminds me of certain hedge funds I used to analyze, where the marketing pitch was inversely proportional to the actual returns.)

So, What's the Real Story?

ComEd's narrative of preparedness is built on shaky ground. The numbers suggest they're better at managing their PR than their infrastructure.