A perfect storm is brewing for commercial and industrial energy consumers in northern Illinois. As electricity providers struggle to balance deep coal retirements with surging demand, the wholesale market mechanisms are triggering severe cost escalations.
For businesses in the ComEd service territory, the best defense is an aggressive offense through newly launched demand-side interventions.
Plan 7: ComEd's 2026-2029 Framework
Effective January 1, 2026, ComEd initiated "Plan 7"—its multi-year roadmap for Energy Efficiency and Demand Response. Approved by state regulators, this plan allocates resources to help the grid manage stress while compensating participants.
Key targets for the 2026 rollout include:
- Strategic Programs & Pilots: Initiatives designed specifically to test grid-edge technologies and Peak Load Contribution (PLC) reduction automation.
- Data Center Enrollment: Direct targeting of high-consumption IT facilities, leveraging their advanced BMS controls and on-site backup generation for load shedding.
- Industrial Incentives: Upgrades and operational shifts, including programs targeting facilities operating 25+ HP compressed air systems, which can be cycled during grid events.
The PJM Capacity Threat (June 2026)
Why the sudden urgency around Plan 7? Because of the PJM Interconnection. Illinois is part of the massive PJM wholesale footprint. During the 2026-2027 Reliability Pricing Model (RPM) auction, clearing prices hit unprecedented highs due to severe forecasted supply shortages.
Those wholesale capacity costs are passed through to retail consumers. Starting June 1, 2026, ComEd customers will see their supply rates jump. A facility's exact capacity charge is calculated using their Peak Load Contribution (PLC)—their electricity usage during the five highest-demand hours across the entire PJM grid during the previous summer.
The Industrial Defense Playbook
To mitigate these costs, facilities must work with Curtailment Service Providers (CSPs) immediately:
- Enroll in Plan 7: Secure upfront incentives for equipment upgrades (HVAC, compressed air, lighting controls) that permanently lower baseline usage.
- Attack the Peak (PLC Management): Implement predictive software to forecast the 5 Coincident Peak (5CP) days this upcoming summer (2026). Drop load drastically on those 5 days to secure a low capacity tag for the 2027 billing cycle.
- Bid into the Market: Generate direct revenue by committing to reduce load during emergency dispatch events dictated by PJM.