2026 Event Schedule

States are increasingly leading the charge on electrification–and Illinois is among the most ambitious. Through the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA), the state has committed to 100% clean electricity by 2045 and the full retirement of fossil fuel generation. But clean power alone won’t get Illinois to net-zero. To succeed, the state must also electricity buildings, scale transportation electrification, and expand DERs–all while carefully managing equity and grid reliability.

This session will explore how ComEd is using its transmission and distribution planning capabilities to address this challenge head-on. Central to ComEd’s approach is a comprehensive Electrification Impact Study (EIS)–a technical foundation to help turn CEJA’s statewide climate goals into actionable infrastructure decisions. Building on ComEd’s 2022 Decarbonization Strategy, the EIS provides:

1. Forecasts of new electric loads from building electrification, EV adoption, and DER integration under CEJA-aligned pathways
2. Grid capacity and capital investment requirements, from service transformers to substations, under multiple decarbonization scenarios
3. Equity assessments that examine how costs and benefits will be distributed, especially in disadvantaged communities

The study, completed in Fall 2025, is already shaping ComEd’s long-term strategy and stakeholder engagement, helping align distribution system planning with CEJA targets and customer needs. This panel–led by ComEd and joined by the Illinois Commerce Commission and the data & analytics firm supporting the modeling–will present a real-world example of how utilities can use forecasting and scenario planning to guide a just transition off the gas system.

Speakers:

1. Scott Vogt, VP Strategy, Energy Policy and Revenue Initiatives at ComEd
2. Commissioner or senior staff,  Illinois Commerce Commission (confidential until the Fall)
3. Senior official, City of Chicago (confidential until the Fall)
4. Aram Shumavon - CEO, Kevala
5. Chris Lawrie, Senior Data Scientist, Kevala (Load and DER forecasting expert)