When hundreds of leaders from industry, government, and the community gathered at the former USX site this past September to break ground on the Illinois Quantum & Microelectronics Park (IQMP), it marked more than the launch of America’s largest quantum computing project—it signaled the beginning of a transformative initiative to revitalize a historic site on Chicago’s South Side.
After months of planning, it also marked the start of construction by ComEd to deliver upgrades needed to power every step of the project.
“This technology has extraordinary potential, it could lead to breakthroughs in major economic sectors, from energy, healthcare, cybersecurity, finance and more,” said Gil Quiniones, President & CEO of ComEd.
Located on the former U.S. Steel South Works site with tenants like PsiQuantum, IBM, and Infleqtion, the Park is set to become a hub for quantum innovation—with each tenant added to the site contributing to progress and further pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. But before the headlines and billion-dollar investments, it was ComEd’s presence in the first pitch meetings that helped seal the deal.
ComEd’s reputation for delivering best in class reliability and access to clean power in Illinois were key factors in PsiQuantum’s decision to choose Illinois. ComEd is delivering the advanced energy infrastructure needed to support utility-scale quantum computing, including cryogenic cooling systems and grid enhancements tailored to the Park’s unique needs.
“This is about more than just one company or one park,” PsiQuantum Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer Jeremy O’Brien said at the September 30 groundbreaking ceremony. “It’s about entirely new workforces, new generations of students in this burgeoning field, and new opportunities for the South Side… [This groundbreaking] is the result of hard work and close partnership.”
ComEd’s involvement in the project from its infancy to advise on key sites that could accommodate the plans put forward by the quantum development team helps meet the accelerated timeline for IQMP and its tenants. The utility company is moving in partnership with stakeholders from IQMP, PsiQuantum, the state of Illinois, the City of Chicago, Related Midwest, Clayco, and alongside numerous contractors who are working to build components of this project. ComEd has dedicated a large team of its experts to oversee the work, and for some, it’s personal.
“I have roots here, both of my grandfathers worked in the steel mills when this area was thriving. A lot of people know that and hang onto that. When the steel industry left decades ago, it affected the community significantly,” said David Alvarez, manager of project execution at ComEd, whose team of engineers is overseeing the substation buildout and other power upgrades to the site.
IQMP’s power plan involved a rigorous engineering review by ComEd, which analyzed legacy equipment at the site as well as the existing power needs of the surrounding community. As with any large project, ComEd studies to ensure that other customers are not impacted by the development of the project. A rigorous large load cluster study revealed that area customers will not be disadvantaged by the build. ComEd is working with the community to coordinate its construction in a way that will limit any impact to surrounding customers.
“This project is going to bring new light to this area and uplift this community,” said Alvarez. “That gives me and the team the passion to move forward with this project at the speed we are moving. It’s more than a project for us, this is something that is going to have great positive impact on the South Side community.”
Creating thousands of jobs and bringing transformational investment to a historically disinvested part of the city, this project aligns with ComEd’s broader mission shared with the Illinois’ Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) to deliver clean energy and economic opportunity across the region. ComEd’s involvement in IQMP also helped earn the utility recognition from Site Selection Magazine as a Top Utility in Economic Development, reinforcing its role as a catalyst for innovation and growth.
“We are honored to have played a part in helping bring PsiQuantum to northern Illinois and deliver power that will enable this cutting-edge research to occur,” said Max Leichtman, director of economic and workforce development at ComEd. “We are proud to power IQMP’s development which will bring never before seen innovation as well as a significant level of jobs and investment to Chicago’s South Side.”
As the quantum campus rises along the shores of Lake Michigan, ComEd continues to power more than families and businesses, but possibilities. From the grid to groundbreaking, ComEd is helping shape the future of technology, equity, and energy.
