“Electricity lies at the heart of our economy, and it must evolve to serve the needs of an increasingly low-carbon, always-on, digital economy,” said Steve Hauser, CEO of the GridWise Alliance. “We are pleased to see continued progress across the country this year, but the survey shows that we are just getting started.”

Some of the kudos for Illinois might have to do with the Grand Prairie Gateway project, which runs through Kane County and which was opposed initially by Kane County, other local government entities and cities. So whether you’re applauding or booing the announcement of the No. 2 status might depend on your point of view. The Grand Prairie Gateway project involves installation of 345kV electric transmission line between Commonwealth Edison’s existing Byron and Wayne substations, running through Ogle, DeKalb, Kane and DuPage counties.

That said, ComEd is now more than 75 percent of the way through the infrastructure program work, and the infrastructure is enhancing reliability through new equipment and distribution automation devices, according to Hector Garcia, economic and business development manager for ComEd.

“The GridWise report shows Illinois relative to the rest of the U.S.,” Garcia said. “Indiana is 22 spots behind us, and Wisconsin is 38 spots behind in the rankings — which helps distinguish an Illinois business location as the best choice.”

ComEd says the plan will help deliver a cleaner, greener and more affordable energy future for Illinois.