The Homer Glen Village Board postponed a decision allowing ComEd to improve its substation on Bell Road that was first constructed in the 1950s as village officials continue to have questions about the project.
Mayor Christina Neitzke-Troike told ComEd officials last week her top concern is how a new substation would benefit Homer Glen residents.
ComEd is looking to modernize its substation, 14546 S. Bell Road, with weather-protected enclosures to ensure a more reliable grid.
The substation is a critical part of ComEd’s electric system, serving customers in Homer Glen and the surrounding region, said Lisa Aprati, external affairs manager for ComEd.
The Will County Governmental League and Will County Center for Economic Development have written letters in support of the infrastructure improvements, Aprati said.
“As energy needs continue to grow and infrastructure ages, ComEd must make strategic investments to maintain the safe, reliable and resilient delivery of electricity,” Aprati said. “This project is focused on modernizing aging infrastructure, protecting critical equipment, strengthening system resiliency during severe weather events and ensuring the substation can continue to support the community’s future energy needs.”
Jennifer Carroll, a project manager for ComEd, said the Homer Glen substation has equipment that has surpassed its lifespan. In some cases manufacturers don’t make replacement parts for the existing equipment, she said.
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The new facility would create a faster response if there’s an outage, she said.
“If we do have an outage, we want it to be as short as possible,” Carroll said.
ComEd is seeking village approval to build a new nearly 59-foot primary building on South Bell Road and a second building that would be nearly 21 feet tall. The utility company is also looking to construct a security fence topped with barbed wire, remove 11 old power line poles and install 21 new transmission structures. New structures would be standalone poles, or monopoles, and not lattice towers, documents said.
ComEd would also enlarge its detention pond, install new landscaping and add a public rest area near an existing 10-foot wide bike path that would include benches, a trellis and a butterfly garden with native plants.
The proposed work would be confined to about 4 acres within a 67 acre parcel near the intersection of South Bell Road and West Martingale Road.
The substation serves Homer Glen and other southwest suburban communities, but ComEd officials said they cannot provide a detailed list or map due to confidentiality and security requirements.
ComEd has been working with Homer Glen officials on the proposal since February 2025, and the company has also met with fire district, school district and Homer Township officials. The village’s Plan Commission recommended approving the project in a 4-1 vote in July.
Trustee Rose Reynders questioned if the ComEd proposal was a result of the proliferation of data centers, which require an increased amount of electricity. Officials with ComEd said the project is not a response to potential data centers.
Reynders also said she wants to see exterior color options so that the building does not stick out.
The brick’s proposed color palate gradually gets lighter towards the top of the building, which is an architecture technique to reduce the appearance of height, according to ComEd officials.
Neitzke-Troike said she wants to ensure the facility’s lighting does not impact nearby homes and businesses. She did not like how the proposed building was so close to the streets, she said.
Trustee Mike Lepore said he wants a study to ensure the health and safety of nearby residents and businesses are not adversely impacted. He noted that similar ComEd facilities throughout the Chicago region are located in industrial zones, near highways or in remote locations, but the village’s substation is by a senior living development, residential neighborhoods, a school and businesses.
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Without assurances, he said he cannot support the project.
Michelle Mullins is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.