Committee on Enviromental Protection and Energy

Politics

Thursday, June 10, 2021
10:00 a.m. CDT

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Reporting

Edited and summarized by the Chicago - IL Documenters Team

Note-taking by Ata Younan

ComEd annual report, Refranchising, Extreme weather events

View notes

Live reporting by Samantha Callender

ComEd annual report, Refranchising, Extreme weather events

samantha @OnYourCallender

Hi, I'm Samantha and I'll be live-tweeting the City Council Committee on Environmental Protection and Energy meeting at 10 AM CST for @CHIdocumenters . Follow along on this thread

09:49 AM Jun 10, 2021 CDT

samantha @OnYourCallender 2/44

@CHIdocumenters As of right now, no visual or audio is available. Maybe they are experiencing technical difficulties.

samantha @OnYourCallender 3/44

Yes. They were experiencing tech issues. Meeting now beginning at 10:08 AM CST

samantha @OnYourCallender 4/44

Starting with a public comment about the bribery of ComEd.

He speaks to the importance of public involvement and stopping "backroom deals in Springfield".

The commenter is speaking to this: wbez.org/stories/the-co…

samantha @OnYourCallender 5/44

The next commenter is George Blakemore, speaking to how energy access is also important to consider in Black communities and how gentrification and displacement of Blacks can be connected to access to energy.

samantha @OnYourCallender 6/44

Interesting piece from Yale Environment 360 on this e360.yale.edu/features/why-l…

samantha @OnYourCallender 7/44

The next speak is from Democratize ComEd, a group whose goal is "to achieve the municipalization of the Chicago utility assets of Commonwealth Edison (ComEd) and the creation of a democratically-controlled, municipal utility"

Learn more about them here: demcomed.org

samantha @OnYourCallender 8/44

The next speaker comes from the Chatham Business Association, SBDI, who is speaking about the positive impact of ComEd in low-income communities of color.

They do have a "partnership". Learn more about the org cbaworks.org

samantha @OnYourCallender 9/44

The next speaker is Malcolm Crawford of The Austin African American Business Networking Association Inc. speaking to ComEd's willingness to provide jobs and energy access for West side residents.

samantha @OnYourCallender 10/44

More on ComEd's options for energy assistance to Chicagoans here

businesswire.com/news/home/2021…

samantha @OnYourCallender 11/44

A few more public commenters are speaking to the importance of holding ComEd accountable for sustainable energy practices.

Chicago has already begun looking into this. More on that here

utilitydive.com/news/chicago-r…

samantha @OnYourCallender 12/44

*inserting another reference for Illinois' exploration into "clean energy" here*

grist.org/politics/illin…

samantha @OnYourCallender 13/44

Commissioner David Reynolds says that while ComEd rates effectively (using CADI scoring) to readiness to respond to community needs, they are less than satisfactory when it relates to natural disasters or climate challenges (like the 2020 Derecho).

samantha @OnYourCallender 14/44

Reynolds speaks further on the City's Electricity Franchise Agreement, which includes:
-Governance and Transparency
-Energy and Electrification
-Equity and Neighborhood Development

Read more on those here chicago.gov/city/en/progs/…

samantha @OnYourCallender 15/44

19th ward Alderman Matthew O'Shea brings up the consistent power failure at Roseland Pumping Station that led to a "boil water" oil.

He's asking the results from the investigation on this. ComEd has responded, but Reynolds says they are still reviewing who is to blame.

samantha @OnYourCallender 16/44

Residents have been outspoken in their frustrations about these consistent outages.

More on that here chicago.cbslocal.com/2021/05/28/no-…

samantha @OnYourCallender 17/44

Ald O'Shea also follows up about ComEd trimming trees and clearing debris from lines following storms.

ComEd does offer emergency trimming services. You can learn more about that here
comed.com/SafetyCommunit…

samantha @OnYourCallender 18/44

Ald Byron Lopez is wanting to discuss different subsidies that ComEd is allowed. He is referring to the law that cost users an estimated $600+ million

samantha @OnYourCallender 19/44

"Illinois generates more electricity from nuclear energy than any other state, accounting for one-eighth of the nation's total nuclear power generation. In 2019, 54% of electricity net generation in Illinois was produced by the state's 6 nuclear power plants w/their 11 reactors."

samantha @OnYourCallender 20/44

(The above from eia.gov/state/analysis….)

The discussion is shifting on the focus on clean and renewable energy

samantha @OnYourCallender 21/44

Terry Donnelly, President & COO of ComEd, begins speaking on behalf of ComEd. Other C-Suite members are present as well.

samantha @OnYourCallender 22/44

Donnelly introduces David Glockner is the Executive Vice President, Compliance and Audit, for Exelon Corporation, as the next speaker.

Glockner starts speaking on the policies on interactions w/public officials.

samantha @OnYourCallender 23/44

These policies include:
- Prohibits giving "valuable" info to public officials
- Has a framework for handling requests and recommendations
-A framework for lobbyist & political consultants
- HR framework for preventing unethical hiring practices
- Oversight on vendor contracts

samantha @OnYourCallender 24/44

For context, 30% of recommendations and requests from public officials were denied through this process.

Glockner says this shows him that a vast majority of requests are not unethical.

samantha @OnYourCallender 25/44

In addition, invoices are reviewed and are required to include a certain amount of detail about the service or goods supplied. The invoice isn't paid until all requested details are given.

samantha @OnYourCallender 26/44

Glockner says that internally, a dedicated HR team has been implemented to respond to any discriminatory claim.

samantha @OnYourCallender 27/44

This was a recent incident wbez.org/stories/ex-exe…

samantha @OnYourCallender 28/44

650 miles of cable wires, and 22,000 manholes were updated/replaced by ComEd in the City in 2020.

Donnelly says that is just one example of sustained investment in maintenance in the City.

samantha @OnYourCallender 29/44

He also speaks to the ComEd Bronzeville Community Microgrid, an effort in its smart city Community of the Future initiative.

More on that here microgridknowledge.com/bronzeville-co…

samantha @OnYourCallender 30/44

Donnelly is continuing to speak to ways in which ComEd "supports communities and charities" and also to the ways that ComEd works to make energy access more affordable to residents

samantha @OnYourCallender 31/44

He continues to speak to their efforts in communities, including the ComEd STEM homelab.

comed.com/News/Pages/New…

samantha @OnYourCallender 32/44

Melissa Washington, Senior Vice President, Government & External Affairs at ComEd, speaks briefly to ComEd's commitment to providing billing relief to those struggling in the wake of COVID.

ComEd says they have "connected" customers to $75million in relief funds

samantha @OnYourCallender 33/44

In regards to energy efficiency, Senior VP Jane Parks offers these numbers as a reflect of ComEd's energy efficiency committments:

$5.2 billion in savings
and
55 billions lbs of carbon from the airspace

through energy efficient practices.

samantha @OnYourCallender 34/44

Jane Park also says they plan to partner with community-based orgs to implement sustainable energy practices in low-income communities.

samantha @OnYourCallender 35/44

Jane Park and Daniel La Spata debate where the funds for these efforts come from, and who the financial responsibility of the Future Energy Jobs Act really falls on.

Sun-Times recently broke down some of those numbers chicago.suntimes.com/politics/2021/…

samantha @OnYourCallender 36/44

Ald Michelle Smith wants ComEd execs to comment on the corruption that has been in news lately, particularly regarding their shareholders.

Donnelly takes the question and says ComEd has taken measures to mitigate those corrupt members and focus on serving the community

samantha @OnYourCallender 37/44

Donnelly says savings flow back to the customer in the rate-making model. He says the company does not pocket the money or give it to shareholders.

He says expense management is designed to keep costs down for customers.

samantha @OnYourCallender 38/44

Lots of questions from Alderman calling for ComEd execs to speak to the bribes and corruption and how that has influenced their rate settings.

Execs would pivot to speaking to commitment to saving and providing relief to customers ...

samantha @OnYourCallender 39/44

... finally, Veronica Gomez addresses the question for exact numbers and flow breakdowns, saying that since they're in the midst of an active investigation they can't comment.

She reassures that rate-setting and spending is being heavily monitored ...

samantha @OnYourCallender 40/44

... Gomez mentions ICC monitoring and again pivots the ways ComEd spends in providing billing relief and ComEd's philanthropic giving.

samantha @OnYourCallender 41/44

Ald Matt Martin asks about ComEd's "shut off policy", as ComEd has resumed shutting off service for unpaid bills. He doesn't want comment on bill-paying programs, but why they resumed and the impact of that on communities.

samantha @OnYourCallender 42/44

Jane Park speaks to that, saying low income customers were exempt from this shut-off.

Says disconnections were meant to encourage folks to seek payment plan or billing assistance options (this was based on varying factors).

samantha @OnYourCallender 43/44

They're also talking about how to make their fleet more sustainable/electric.

This also involves creating a more sustainable power grid.

samantha @OnYourCallender 44/44

Ald Matt Martin says they can do a follow-up on more details on this (in the interest of time).

No further questions and meeting adjourned at 1:29 PM CST. Signing off

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Agency Information

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@ChiCouncil

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