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Council committee clears Commonwealth Edison variances to add poles for reliability and private solar
Summary
The committee approved two variances requested by Commonwealth Edison to install new utility poles — one for system reliability on Northwest Highway and a set to serve private solar panels on a self-storage facility on East Dundee Road; ComEd told the committee overhead service is typically less costly than underground.
The Police Policy and Code Services Committee approved two variances allowing Commonwealth Edison to install new above-ground utility poles in Palatine.
One variance permits a new wood pole in the right of way in front of 548 West Northwest Highway. The committee was told the new pole is intended to improve system reliability and to help the utility respond more promptly to outages.
A second variance authorizes three new poles related to a private solar installation at 1385 East Dundee Road and adjoining right of way: one pole in the East Dundee Road right of way and two on private property to carry the project's electrical output back to the ComEd system. Joseph Turnich, ComEd external affairs manager, told the committee the solar panels will be flat to grade on the storage‑facility roof and therefore not highly visible from street level. "Typically, underground is considered a nonstandard service," Turnich said. "There is usually a charge associated ... as a public utility, we have to go with the least expensive cost, which in this case is going overhead as opposed to underground." He added that whether poles are placed on private property depends on the solar project's configuration.
Committee members pressed ComEd on long-standing service issues and asked the company to work with village staff to resolve them before future applications. Turnich confirmed ComEd has been working with village staff and is aware of the older, outstanding concerns.
The three-pole variance was decided by roll call; multiple members recorded votes of "aye" and the committee chair announced the item will appear on the council consent agenda. Both variances were forwarded to the council on the consent agenda for formal consideration.
