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Politics & Government

Neighbors Frustrated After Third Day in the Dark

ComEd reports they will see power at 11:59 p.m. tonight.

While most of Elmhurst has recovered since a Tuesday storm knocked out power throughout the city, residents living in a few neighborhoods are livid with Commonwealth Edison's apparent inaction during a time of need.

"For the prices we pay we deserve better," Gail Brinkmeier, of the 300 block of Prairie Avenue, said. "We are not living in the Conestoga wagon days."

Gail and Alan Brinkmeier, as well as most of their neighbors on Prairie, have been without power for three days. They've been told their power will come back at 11:59 p.m. Friday, but are upset that ComEd crews did not show up until mid-day Friday.

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"They didn't start work until 1 p.m.," Gail Brinkmeier said.

Neighbors understand the Tuesday storm affected many in the Chicago area. But the Brinkmeiers feel unnecessary red tape delayed relief for their neighborhood.

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"There was one ComEd Jeep and he was like a dispatcher," Alan Brinkmeier said. "We're paying for that crew to sit here and wait till ComEd authorizes them, the skeptic in me says they can bill this out one more day."

Xtreme Powerline Construction, a ComEd contractor based out of Port Huron, Mich., said they've exhausted themselves in the Chicago area. One worker said the crew had to replace electric poles in two back yards after Tuesday's storm split ash trees in half.

"We've been out here for three days, 16 hours a day," a supervisor with Xtreme, who declined to give his name, said. "The trees are just falling on wires ... the broken poles are harder in the back yard."

Still, some residents are upset that Elmhurst, with tree-lined streets and vulnerability to squalls, did not see a response until Friday.

"The cold showers are getting old," Brenda Moldawer, who lives at the corner of May Street and Prairie Avenue, said.

Other residents have grown accustomed to power troubles. Mark Entwistle and his wife have lived at 797 N. Indiana Street for 26 years. They were told their power would be restored at 5:30 p.m. Friday, but they're not too optimistic.

"It's just ridiculous for what you pay for electric and whenever it gets cloudy you worry about your power going out," he said. "Either they're not cutting trees where they need to or lines need to be underground, because this happens way too often."

While the Entwistles and Brinkmeiers both have generators, both families feel stung by the service of a utility company they see as a monopoly. The Illinois Commerce Commission last month approved a $155.6 million rate increase for ComEd, but some residents are upset that the money will go more towards ComEd's bottom line than toward updating a local electrical grid they feel is antiquated.

"It must be their mission statement," Entwistle said. "Increase rates and decrease service."

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