Florence Pacheco has struggled to stay cool during hot summers and warm through cold winters for over four decades in her Hermosa home. So when she was offered an opportunity to have her gas furnace swapped out for a more efficient electrical system in her worker’s cottage at no cost to her, she enthusiastically agreed. “Never, ever in my lifetime could I afford it,” said Pacheco, a widow who lives on Social Security checks. “Thank you, Jesus.” Through a ComEd initiative, Pacheco, 69, now has an energy-efficient heat pump that provides warmth in the winter and air conditioning in the summer. She has new wall and attic insulation. She also got an electric heat pump for her hot water, replacing a natural gas model. She’s eventually going to get a new electric hookup for cooking to make her home less reliant on fossil fuels that contribute to the climate crisis. The total cost so far is almost $63,000, and it is paid for under the program for low-income residents sponsored by electric utility ComEd and the nonprofit Elevate. Working with Elevate and other organizations, ComEd is moving from a pilot program to convert 100 homes to a much larger-scale project with the goal of spending $40 million over the next three years. That plan will potentially convert thousands of homes across the Chicago area and elsewhere in Northern Illinois. About 1.3 million ComEd customers, about a third of the utility’s total, are in the city. Read the full story through the link in our bio. Story: Brett Chase Photo: Pat Nabong/Sun-Times