NEWS RELEASE
Date March 29, 2018
For Release Upon Receipt
Contacts Ashlee Yingling
Duquesne Light
412.430.3404
Duquesne Light Company Seeks Regulatory Rate Review To Support Building the Future Pittsburgh
Investment in distribution system to modernize grid and maintain reliable service
PITTSBURGH – Duquesne Light Company (DLC) is helping to build the future of Pittsburgh and southwestern Pennsylvania. As the region continues to evolve and people’s energy needs change, DLC is seeking a regulatory review of its distribution rates with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) to enable the company to continue making critical infrastructure investments to maintain a level of reliable service that customers have come to expect. The proposed regulatory rate review will help DLC to build a smarter, more resilient electricity delivery system, including poles, wires, transformers and other equipment that make up the energy grid.
DLC has requested approximately $133.8 million in annual base revenue to deploy new technologies, upgrade existing equipment and install new distribution infrastructure across Allegheny and Beaver Counties. These investments will allow DLC to maintain one of the highest levels of electric service reliability in the state for its nearly 600,000 customers, while providing them with the ability to make more informed energy decisions, consume energy differently and more conveniently interact with the company.
“As we look to the future, we need to consider the energy infrastructure that will be required to efficiently and effectively provide a reliable source of electricity to our progressive and evolving region,” said Rich Riazzi, President and CEO of Duquesne Light Company.
From 2013-2017, DLC invested nearly $1 billion in infrastructure and technology upgrades to its distribution system. In 2018 alone, the company plans to invest approximately $265 million, reinforcing its commitment to maintaining and improving the delivery of reliable service to the region.
If the current requested rate is approved, an average residential customer using 600 kilowatt-hours a month would see his or her bill increase by about $8.65 (or 8.82 percent) per month effective on January 1, 2019. Commercial customers would expect to see an increase of $28.77 (or 2.92 percent) per month and industrial customers would expect to see an increase of $434.77 (or 2.32 percent) per month.
“Duquesne Light is proud to have one of the most reliable grids in the state,” said David Fisfis, Vice President of Rates and Regulatory Affairs, Duquesne Light Company. “We are dedicated to working with our regulators to determine a reasonable rate that enables us to continue improving the durability of the system for our customers.”
All of these planned investments are aimed at strengthening the electric grid to help maintain reliability and get the lights back on faster for more than one million people in southwestern Pennsylvania.
For more details on the company’s request, please visit www.duquesnelight.com/buildingthefuture or call customer service at 1-888-664-6579.
About Duquesne Light Company
Duquesne Light Company is committed to more than keeping the lights on; it powers the moments in its customers’ lives. As a next generation energy company, Duquesne Light Company’s nearly 1,500 employees are dedicated to delivering reliable and safe energy to more than a half a million customers in southwestern Pennsylvania.
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