Mayor Lori Lightfoot said ComEd and its competitors “have to step up their game” if they want exclusive rights to power the city’s electric grid. [Facebook/ComEd]

Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration is opening the door to dumping Commonwealth Edison (ComEd) as the city’s sole electric utility provider, cranking up the pressure on the mega-firm to meet a host of the city’s environmental and equity demands.

The city’s Department of Assets, Information and Services issued a Request for Information on Friday to solicit “ideas and expressions of interest” from suitors looking to replace ComEd, whose 30-year franchise agreement with the city expired at the end of last year. “The City is currently evaluating whether to enter into a new franchise with the incumbent or to explore awarding a franchise to new franchisee(s)” with the City Council’s approval, according to the document.