Science & Nature

As Chicago Swelters Under Heatwave, ComEd Asks Customers to Immediately Conserve Energy to Avoid Outages

It felt like 106 degrees in Chicago Tuesday, and more of the same is expected for Wednesday and Thursday as the combination of heat and humidity continue to create dangerous conditions.

Both Midway and O’Hare Airports notched actual high temperatures of 94 degrees Tuesday, and humidity sent the heat index soaring even higher, according to the National Weather Service.

The electric grid is showing strain under the high demand. On Wednesday, ComEd issued a request to customers to conserve energy in order to avoid outages specifically in the western suburbs of Berwyn, Cicero, North Riverside, Riverside, Stickney, Forest Park, Maywood and Oak Park, as well as Chicago neighborhoods including Little Village, North Lawndale, Douglas Park, Garfield Park and Austin. 

The utility said it is repairing impacted equipment, deploying additional resources and “activating every tool available to protect service in affected neighborhoods.” 

ComEd said the hours between noon and 8 p.m., when demand peaks, are most critical for reducing usage. Recommended actions include:

— Closing shades, blinds and curtains.

— Turn off and unplug any unnecessary devices such as lights, chargers and electronics.

— Wait to do laundry and run the dishwasher.

— Set the thermostat as high as is comfortably safe. Use ceiling and box fans for added cooling.

— Delay EV charging at home during the day.

The utility's large commercial and industrial customers are also being asked to cut their electricity use.  

Chicagoans will receive little relief during overnight hours, with heat indices remaining above 90 degrees after midnight, while outlying areas will dip into the 80s. 

For a sense of how muggy conditions are, check the dew point, the weather service said.

The higher the dew point, the greater the amount of moisture in the air, meaning there’s less room for additional water vapor. Sweat evaporates less efficiently, so bodies can’t cool down, compounding the risk of heat-related illness, according to the weather service.

Early Wednesday morning, the dew point was hovering around 75 degrees, the threshold for an “oppressive" rating, which is the most uncomfortable. 

Storms are expected to push into the region on Friday, helping to cool things down north of the I-80 corridor. 

Public safety officials shared these tips:

• Stay hydrated.
• If you can, stay inside with air conditioning. If you do not have air conditioning, keep your blinds closed, but windows slightly open for ventilation — or visit a city cooling center.
• Check on neighbors.
• Don’t leave anyone or any pets in a parked car.
• Call 311 to report insufficient cooling in a building; wellness checks for seniors and unhoused people; and where to find your nearest cooling center.

Cooling centers throughout the city include six community service centers and 20 senior service centers operated by the Chicago Department of Family and Support Services. The six community service centers operate from Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.:  

• Auburn Gresham Center – 1140 W. 79th Street  
• Garfield Center – 10 S. Kedzie Ave. 
• King Center – 4314 S. Cottage Grove  
• North Area Center – 845 W. Wilson Ave.  
• South Chicago Center – 8650 S. Commercial Ave.  
• Trina Davila Center – 4312 W. North Ave.  

Residents can also cool off at Chicago Public Library locations, Chicago Park District locations, City Colleges and Chicago Police Department district locations. To view a map of cooling centers in the city, visit chi.gov/cooling.

Eunice Alpasan contributed to this report.

Contact Patty Wetli: [email protected]

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