Utility Information

Utility Information

ComEd provides service to Arlington Heights and the Northern Illinois area. If you are experiencing issues with ComEd, please reference their Dispute Resolution and Maintenace FAQ below.

ComEd
P.O. Box 805379
Chicago, IL 60680-5379
Telephone: 1-800-Edison-1 (1.800.334.7661)


Nicor Gas is the largest natural gas distributor in northern Illinois, serving more than two million customers. If you are experiencing issues with Nicor, please reference their Emergency Information FAQ below.
     
Nicor Gas
P.O. Box 190
Aurora, IL 60507-0190
Telephone: 1.888.Nicor.4.U (1.888.642.6748)

ComEd

Dispute Resolution

ComEd recognizes that non-emergency distribution tree and vegetation management activities sometimes create concern because trees near our electrical wires are significantly trimmed or sometimes require removal. The dispute resolution process addresses our customers' concerns with these activities.

• Step 1:  If your property is scheduled to be trimmed and you have concerns regarding proposed activities, call 1-800-Edison-1 to inform a customer service representative that you wish to be contacted by a vegetation management representative before work is performed.
• Step 2: The customer service representative will forward your request to the vegetation management department.
• Step 3: You will be contacted directly to discuss your concerns and be briefed on the resolution process.  Some alternatives proposed from prior inquiries include:
  
  • Relocation of trees by customer identified for trimming or removal
  • Relocation of powerlines at customer expense to avoid future tree-wire contacts
  • Use of a private tree service at customer expense to conduct necessary trimming or removal
• Step 4: If you and ComEd cannot resolve your concerns, you can utilize the ICC dispute resolution processes, or propose another alternative means to ComEd for its consideration.

Maintenance

Scheduled Tree Trimming:
At ComEd, we trim vegetation along powerlines on a routine cycle. We use the Natural Method of Tree Trimming technique, which prevents unsightly sucker growth while meeting the standards of the American National Standards Institute. Our contractors are specially trained to trim trees in close proximity to electrical conductors and are trained in the proper arboricultural techniques.

Rely on a professional:
If you plan to have a tree care professional trim around the wires attached to your house, please contact ComEd at least 5 business days in advance at 1-800-Edison-1. If necessary, we will temporarily de-energize wires during trimming.

Whether you use ComEd contractors or arrange for your own tree care, always leave it to the pros. Tree trimming near electrical wires can be deadly. Only persons trained in the special techniques essential to working safely around energized lines should do so. Touching a branch that is in contact with an energized line can result in injury or death. For your safety, never attempt to trim or remove a tree that is growing near a power line. Instead, call 1-800-Edison-1 and a ComEd representative will advise you on how to get the job done safely.

Right of Way (R.O.W):
Right of Way (R.O.W) is the corridor where electrical towers or wood poles are located. The lines that run along right-of-ways carry the transmission voltage electricity (138 kV - 765 kV). ComEd either has an easement for these lines or the company owns the property where the lines are located.

Choose the Right Tree:
When it comes to trimming or prevention, prevention is the preferred method. Utilities are required to do what is necessary to provide safe, reliable, and least-cost electric service. Trimming trees is sometimes the only solution in dangerous situations. The closer a tree grows to high-voltage lines the more pruning is necessary. Only those branches that are likely to be a threat to reliability or safety are pruned.
The ideal way to prevent powerlines and trees from getting in each other's way is to plant shorter varieties near powerlines. The Morton Arboretum recommends trees and shrubs that grow to 25 feet in height or less, such as Hawthorn, Amur Maple, Ivory Silk Japanese Tree Lilac, Eastern Redbud, Serviceberry and Flowering Crabapples.

Trees that should NOT be planted near powerlines include: Silver Maple, Norway Maple, Sugar Maple, Oak, Bradford Pear, Pine, Sycamore, Ash, Honey Locust, Willow, Linden, and Spruce.

Nicor Gas

Emergency Information

If you have a natural gas emergency, call Nicor Gas at 1-888 Nicor4u (1-888-642-6748)
Nicor is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Call Nicor immediately if:

• You smell natural gas (exception: a faint odor near an appliance, that goes away after the pilot is lit).
• You hear natural gas leaking (hissing sound).
• Your gas service is suddenly interrupted.

Smell:
Nicor Gas adds a distinctive odor to natural gas as a way to alert you to a gas leak. To help you recognize this odor – which many people equate to that of rotten eggs – you can request a scratch and sniff sample. Simply e-mail us with your name, address and number of scratch and sniff slips you are requesting.

A faint gas odor near an appliance may indicate that the pilot light has gone out. If the appliance has a pilot light and the odor persists after relighting, exit immediately, leaving doors and windows open as you exit. Do not open windows if they're not already open. Do not use your telephone or cell phone, operate any appliance, light a match or turn light switches on or off. Call Nicor Gas from a neighboring location.

Even though a distinctive odor is added to natural gas to assist in the detection of leaks, you should not rely solely on your sense of smell to determine if a gas leak exists or if natural gas is present. Some persons may not be able to detect the odorant because they have a diminished sense of smell or olfactory fatigue, or because the odor is being masked by other odors in the area. In addition, certain conditions such as odor fade may cause the odorant to diminish so that it is not detectable.

Odor fade or loss of odorant occurs when the level of odorant in the gas is reduced due to adsorption, absorption and oxidation. Factors that may cause odor fade include the construction and configuration of gas facilities; the presence of rust, moisture, liquids or other substances in the pipe; and gas composition, pressure and/or flow.  Intermittent, little or no gas flow over an extended period of time may also result in the loss of odorant until gas flow increases or becomes more frequent. Many appliance manufacturers include in their installation manuals information on the potential for odorant fade.

Do not purge the contents of a gas line into a confined space. Purging of a gas line should only be done by a licensed, qualified professional and should be done in a well-ventilated area or by venting the contents to the outside atmosphere. Always use gas detection equipment during purging operations or when otherwise working on gas piping systems to ensure that no natural gas is present that may result in a combustible or hazardous atmosphere. DO NOT rely on your sense of smell alone to detect the presence of natural gas.

Consult your local plumbing code, mechanical code, fuel gas code and/or your departments of building, safety or fire for more information. When installing or repairing gas appliances or equipment, the manufacturer's instruction manual should be followed in accordance with the local code authority.

Sound:
If you hear a blowing or hissing sound coming from a building that uses natural gas, exit immediately, leaving doors and windows open as you exit. Do not open windows if they're not already open. Do not use your telephone or cell phone, operate any appliance, light a match or turn light switches on or off. Call Nicor Gas from a neighboring location.

Sight:
If you see discolored vegetation, blowing dirt or bubbling water in the area of a buried natural gas pipeline, this could indicate a natural gas leak. Call Nicor Gas or your local fire department and keep people away from the suspect area.