Homer Glen Village Board Delays Decision on ComEd Substation Upgrade

The Homer Glen Village Board has decided to delay its decision regarding the approval of an upgrade to the ComEd substation located on Bell Road, originally constructed in the 1950s. Village officials have ongoing concerns about the project. Mayor Christina Neitzke-Troike emphasized that her main concern is understanding how these improvements will benefit the residents of Homer Glen.

ComEd intends to modernize the substation at 14546 S. Bell Road. This includes enhancing it with weather-protected enclosures to ensure a more reliable electrical grid. The substation is crucial to ComEd’s electrical system, serving Homer Glen and nearby areas; this was highlighted by Lisa Aprati, ComEd’s external affairs manager. Aprati added that the Will County Governmental League and the Will County Center for Economic Development have expressed their support for these infrastructure improvements.

“As energy needs continue to grow and infrastructure ages, ComEd must make strategic investments to maintain the safe, reliable, and resilient delivery of electricity,” Aprati said.

ComEd’s focus is on updating aging infrastructure, preserving essential equipment, boosting system resilience against severe weather conditions, and ensuring the substation continues to meet future community energy requirements. Jennifer Carroll, a ComEd project manager, noted that the current equipment has exceeded its lifespan and replacement parts are no longer manufactured for it. Building a new facility would expedite outage response times as well.

“If we do have an outage, we want it to be as short as possible,” Carroll stated.

The company seeks the village’s approval to construct a nearly 59-foot primary building and a secondary building about 21 feet tall on South Bell Road. Plans also include erecting a security fence with barbed wire, removing 11 outdated power line poles, and installing 21 new transmission structures. Unlike lattice towers, the new structures will be standalone monopoles. Additionally, ComEd plans to expand the detention pond, add landscaping, and create a public rest area equipped with benches, a trellis, and a butterfly garden with native plants adjacent to an existing 10-foot wide bike path.

The proposed construction will occur on approximately 4 acres out of a total 67-acre parcel near South Bell Road and West Martingale Road. While the substation serves Homer Glen along with other southwest suburban areas, specific details or maps regarding customer locations are withheld due to security and confidentiality concerns.

ComEd has collaborated with Homer Glen officials since February 2025, engaging with the fire district, school district, and Homer Township officials as well. In July, the village’s Plan Commission gave a 4-1 vote recommending project approval. Trustee Rose Reynders inquired whether ComEd’s proposal was due to the rise of data centers demanding higher electricity. However, ComEd clarified it isn’t related to potential data centers.

Reynders also expressed interest in assessing exterior color options to prevent the building from standing out too prominently, noting ComEd’s architectural technique to use a color palette that becomes lighter towards the top to reduce perceived height. Mayor Neitzke-Troike emphasized assessing the facility’s lighting to prevent disruption to nearby homes and businesses, expressing disapproval of the building’s proximity to the streets.

Trustee Mike Lepore called for a study to ensure nearby residents and businesses are not negatively impacted health-wise and safety-wise. He remarked on the positioning of similar ComEd facilities throughout the Chicago region, typically located within industrial zones or remote areas, whereas the village’s substation is situated near residential neighborhoods, a senior living development, a school, and businesses. Without such assurances, Lepore stated his opposition to supporting the project.