ComEd Goats Take Break from Managing Vegetation to Cruise on the Chicago River

ComEd uses goats to clear grass and brush under power lines – a safer and greener way to help keep energy reliable

ComEd’s four-legged employees are taking a break from eating vegetation under power lines in Pekin, Ill., for a boat cruise on the Chicago River. Twenty goats will join ComEd employees today to take in downtown views from the river and educate customers about ComEd’s goat vegetation management program.

“ComEd is excited to bring the goats to Chicago this year to show one of our innovative and sustainable solutions to ensure reliable power for families and businesses,” said Michelle Blaise, senior vice president of technical services at ComEd. “The goats work hard to clear vegetation in hard-to-reach places, helping us to prevent power outages in an environmentally-friendly way. If anyone deserves a break, it’s them.”

The ComEd goats will cruise the Chicago River between the DuSable Bridge and LaSalle Street Bridge on Wednesday, July 7, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.

Since 2019, ComEd has enlisted the support of over 200 goats to help clear vegetation in Pekin, Ill., in terrain that is difficult to access. The goats’ “work” helps ComEd avoid power outages and service disruptions often caused by overgrown vegetation near power lines. Using goats cuts the cost and time required to clear the vegetation by more than half, reduces safety risks to workers and is an eco-friendly alternative.

The goats are on loan to ComEd from goat grazing company Goats on the Go. After clearing 13 acres of land last year, ComEd’s goats are continuing the hard work this summer through the month of July.

To learn more about the goats’ #HotGoatSummer and track their progress, check out ComEd’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

ComEd is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC), a Fortune 100 energy company with approximately 10 million electricity and natural gas customers – the largest number of customers in the U.S. ComEd powers the lives of more than 4 million customers across northern Illinois, or 70 percent of the state’s population. For more information visit ComEd.com and connect with the company on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

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