The Homer Glen Village Board has delayed making a decision on ComEd’s proposal to upgrade its substation on Bell Road. The substation was initially constructed in the 1950s, and village officials still have questions about the project.
Mayor Christina Neitzke-Troike expressed her primary concern to ComEd officials: the benefits a new substation would bring to Homer Glen residents. ComEd aims to modernize its facility at 14546 S. Bell Road with weather-protected enclosures to provide a more reliable electrical grid.
Lisa Aprati, ComEd’s external affairs manager, explained that the substation is essential to ComEd’s electric system, serving not just Homer Glen but the surrounding region as well. Both the Will County Governmental League and the Will County Center for Economic Development support the improvements.
As energy demands increase and infrastructure ages, strategic investments are needed to ensure safe, reliable, and resilient electricity delivery,Aprati stated.This project focuses on modernizing outdated infrastructure, safeguarding crucial equipment, enhancing system resilience during severe weather, and meeting the community’s future energy needs.
Jennifer Carroll, a project manager at ComEd, noted that the existing substation’s equipment has exceeded its lifespan, and in many instances, replacement parts are no longer available. The modernized facility aims to respond swiftly to outages.
If we experience an outage, our goal is to minimize its duration,Carroll stated.
The proposal includes constructing a nearly 59-foot primary building and a second building about 21 feet tall on South Bell Road. It also plans for a security fence with barbed wire, the removal of 11 outdated power line poles, and the installation of 21 new transmission structures. These new structures would be standalone poles, or monopoles, replacing lattice towers.
Additional site enhancements include an expanded detention pond, new landscaping, and a public rest area featuring benches, a trellis, and a butterfly garden with native plants. The work would occupy approximately 4 acres within a 67-acre parcel near South Bell Road and West Martingale Road.
ComEd serves Homer Glen and other southwest suburban communities from this substation, but specific connections cannot be disclosed due to security concerns. Since February 2025, ComEd has coordinated with Homer Glen officials and other local entities on this proposal, which received a 4-1 recommendation from the village’s Plan Commission in July.
Trustee Rose Reynders questioned whether the need for the substation upgrade has been driven by the growth of data centers, notorious for their high electricity requirements. ComEd officials assured that this is not the case. Reynders also requested exterior color options to minimize the building’s visual impact. ComEd intends to use an architectural technique; the brick color gradually lightens toward the top to reduce perceived height.
Neitzke-Troike emphasized the need to ensure that lighting from the new facility does not disrupt nearby homes and businesses. She was also concerned about the proximity of the proposed building to the streets.
Trustee Mike Lepore urged for a study on the health and safety impacts on nearby residents and businesses. He noted that other ComEd facilities are typically in industrial zones or remote areas, but this substation is close to residential neighborhoods, a senior living development, a school, and businesses. Without clear assurances of safety, Lepore cannot support the project.
Reporter Michelle Mullins contributed this article for the Daily Southtown.