ComEd and Argonne National Laboratory Release Study Showing Severe Rainfall Events in Northern Illinois Could Nearly Double in Next 15 Years
Business Wire•10/11/2026•11:51 ET
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Key Highlights
- ➤Heavy rainfall events could nearly double by mid-century
- ➤ComEd service territory annual precipitation could increase 14.7%
- ➤2026 severe storms caused approximately 2.4 million customer interruptions
- ➤Grid modernization avoided estimated 2.6 million additional interruptions
- ➤ComEd expects findings to shape future reliability and resilience investments
Expert Statements
Gil C. Quiniones, President and CEO of ComEd
“Understanding how severe weather could change in the decades ahead is critical to making the right investments today”
Gil C. Quiniones, President and CEO of ComEd
“This research gives us a clearer picture of the risks our communities and infrastructure may face and will help inform how we continue strengthening the grid to deliver reliable, resilient and affordable energy for our customers.”
Paul Kearns, Argonne laboratory director
“As severe weather evolves, utilities need increasingly detailed information to understand how those changes could affect infrastructure and communities”
Paul Kearns, Argonne laboratory director
“By combining advanced climate projections with localized analysis, this work helps translate scientific insights into practical decision-making tools that can strengthen resilience for communities across northern Illinois.”
ComEd and Argonne National Laboratory Release Study Showing Severe Rainfall Events in Northern Illinois Could Nearly Double in Next 15 Years
Research identifies increasing risks from heavier rainfall, ice storms and changing soil conditions that could have a major impact on electric infrastructure across northern Illinois
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