So how do they work? Smart switches are intelligent devices installed on utility poles that detect problems on the electric system and automatically isolate faults and restore power so that electricity keeps flowing to as many people as possible. Often there is no noticeable interruption but, sometimes, customers may experience a momentary outage as power is rerouted.
For example, if a tree branch falls on a utility pole resulting in an interruption, far fewer customers would be impacted because smart switches enable ComEd to isolate the damaged section.
In 2019, smart switches helped avoid approximately 300,000 customer outages.