Learn more about the ComEd Beneficial Electrification Plan Pilots.
The Final Order in ComEd’s Beneficial Electrification Plan (“BE Plan”) proceeding, Illinois Commerce Commission (“Commission” or “ICC”) Docket Nos.22-0432 and 22-0442, Cons., dated March 23, 2023, and Amended May 8, 2023 (“Final Order”), specifies a budget of $77 million annually over the three-year period of the BE Plan, 2023 through 2025. Of this $77 million total, the Commission allocated $5 million annually to implement eight pilot programs, referred to collectively as the Beneficial Electrification (BE) Pilots.
ComEd’s first BE Plan (BE Plan 1) runs from 2023-2025. Following approval of the final order, ComEd developed a process for selecting and scoring pilot ideas, which was shared with stakeholders in July 2023. ComEd then sought input from stakeholders on pilot design through an RFQ process in November 2023. This input was incorporated into the final pilot design, shared with stakeholders through one-page documents in April 2024. Pilot vendors were selected via a competitive RFP process which began in March 2024 and concluded between July 2024 and March 2025, depending on the pilot. Finally, pilots began implementation during the period beginning in November 2024 and concluding December 2025.
ComEd is now accepting ideas for BE Plan 2!
Interested parties may subscribe to our mailing list to receive updates on opportunities related to the BE Plan Pilots.
This update provides the latest information on the scope, vendors, anticipated dates the pilot will be in the field (includes activities such as construction, equipment monitoring, and market research), and the status of the BE Pilots.
| Project | Project Type | Customer Segment | Pilot In Field Start Date | Pilot In Field End Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Air Quality MonitoringA collective of academic researchers and air quality experts will collect hyperlocal granular air quality readings in select EIEC neighborhoods across the city of Chicago. Target locations for this pilot include Pilsen, Little Village, and the Southeast side of Chicago. Monitoring will run throughout 2025 with data being accessible on a monthly basis. The goal is to identify where the need for electrification is greatest and where to prioritize investments to improve public health and quality of life. Learn More | Field Tests & Demonstrations | Crosscutting | February 2025 | December 2025 |
Backup Power CapabilitiesThe objective of this pilot is to conduct comprehensive market research and analysis to study technologies that enable the use of an EV’s bi-directional capabilities, such as vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology, to evaluate their readiness for adoption. Learn More | Market Characterization | Crosscutting | May 2025 | December 2025 |
Curbside ChargingDemonstrate a modular and scalable curbside charging model that practically addresses gaps in electric vehicle charger access while optimizing cost, efficiency, and grid operation. The pilot also aims to develop best practices in equitable implementation, construction practices, and municipal collaboration. Learn More | Scaled Field Demonstrations | Commercial and Industrial | June 2025 | December 2025 |
Electric Vehicle Energy Management System (EV EMS)To test the ability of EV EMS software demand monitoring and load control technologies to regulate the capacity of an (L2) electric vehicle (EV) charger to ensure the maximum load of the EV supply equipment (EVSE) does not exceed the available capacity of the home’s main circuit panel. Learn More | Field Tests & Demonstrations | Residential Single Family Home | February 2025 | October 2025 |
Residential Optimized ChargingTo examine the feasibility and incremental benefits of allowing customers to passively modify their level of charge by opting to allow the vendor/utility to actively manage their customer’s level of charge within a charging session to optimize demand savings and reduce grid impacts while ensuring the customer’s electric vehicle (EV) experience is not diminished. Learn More | Field Test | Residential | February 2025 | September 2025 |
RideshareTo develop a carsharing program that provides EV access to low-income and EJ/R3 customers by addressing cost barriers and promoting familiarity. The pilot will place vehicles in transit-, work-, and residence-adjacent locations to enable households to own fewer cars while serving everyday transportation needs. Learn More | Scaled Field Demonstrations | Commercial and Industrial | March 2025 | December 2025 |
School Bus Vehicle-to-GridTo assess and demonstrate the viability of implementing vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology with electric school buses (ESBs) and showcase the technology’s potential to leverage ESBs as viable energy storage sources while achieving balance on the grid. Learn More | Field Tests & Demonstrations | Commercial and Industrial | May 2025 | November 2025 |
SubmeteringUnderstand and evaluate the feasibility of using the capabilities inherent in electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) to act as a submeter for utility billing purposes, establishing a preferred set of standards and criteria to qualify chargers as submeters with sufficient accuracy for ComEd billing. Learn More | Market Characterization | Crosscutting | January 2025 | September 2025 |
Visit the links below for more background on each of the eight pilots.
Air Quality Monitoring
Backup Power Capabilities
Curbside Charging
Electric Vehicle Energy Management System (EV EMS)
Residential Optimized Charging
Rideshare
School Bus Vehicle To Grid
Submetering
Pursuant to the Final Order, ComEd is required to determine an evaluation process and criteria for reviewing and scoring BE Pilot ideas and proposals. Id. at 87.
The BE Pilot Evaluation Process and Criteria document, linked below, outlines the process and criteria that will be used for pre-screening, reviewing requests for information (“RFIs”), reviewing requests for proposals (“RFPs”), and assessing BE Pilot success. More information on BE Pilots, as well as RFI information, will be posted here as it becomes available.
