Debate Delays Homer Glen Substation Modernization Project

The Homer Glen Village Board has delayed a decision about ComEd’s plan to upgrade its substation on Bell Road, originally built in the 1950s. Village officials, including Mayor Christina Neitzke-Troike, have ongoing questions about the benefits for residents of the proposed updates. ComEd intends to enhance the substation at 14546 S. Bell Road by adding weather-protected enclosures, aiming to improve grid reliability.

Lisa Aprati, ComEd’s external affairs manager, emphasized the substation’s role in providing electricity to Homer Glen and nearby areas. Letters from the Will County Governmental League and Will County Center for Economic Development support the infrastructure upgrades. Aprati noted the need for strategic investments to maintain safe, reliable, and resilient electricity delivery as energy needs grow and infrastructure ages. The project focuses on modernizing outdated equipment, fortifying against severe weather, and ensuring future energy needs of the community are met.

Jennifer Carroll, a ComEd project manager, highlighted that much of the substation’s current equipment has outlived its lifespan, and replacement parts are often unavailable. The new facility is expected to enable faster responses to outages, aiming to minimize their duration. Carroll addressed questions at the Homer Glen Village Board meeting on September 23, 2026, about the new utility facility.

ComEd seeks approval to build a nearly 59-foot primary building and a second structure reaching 21 feet in height along South Bell Road. Plans also include a security fence with barbed wire, removal of 11 old power line poles, and installation of 21 new transmission structures. These would be standalone poles instead of lattice towers. Additional enhancements involve expanding the detention pond, improving landscaping, and adding a rest area with benches, a trellis, and a butterfly garden near an existing bike path.

The upgrade would occupy approximately 4 acres within a 67-acre area near the intersection of South Bell Road and West Martingale Road. Although the substation serves Homer Glen and other southwest suburbs, ComEd cannot disclose specific service details due to confidentiality and security. Since February 2025, ComEd has collaborated with Homer Glen officials and consulted with local fire, school, and township authorities. The Plan Commission recommended project approval in July with a 4-1 vote.

Trustee Rose Reynders questioned whether the project responds to increased electricity demanded by data centers. ComEd representatives denied this, stating the project is unrelated to data center demands. Reynders also requested exterior color options to blend the building’s appearance into the surroundings. ComEd’s architecture uses a color gradient to mitigate perceived height.

Mayor Neitzke-Troike expressed concerns about the building’s proximity to streets and its potential lighting impact on homes and businesses. Trustee Mike Lepore called for a study to assess health and safety effects on nearby residents and businesses, noting that similar ComEd facilities are often located in less residential areas. Without these assurances, Lepore cannot support the project.