Duquesne Light Company Completes Permanent Repairs to Underground Cable Leak
Outbound lanes of Liberty Avenue now reopen
May 16, 2024
PITTSBURGH — Duquesne Light Company (DLC) has completed permanent repairs to the underground cable leak that originated on Liberty Avenue in the Strip District on Monday, April 29. The company used a freeze process to temporarily stop the leak before making necessary preparations for a permanent fix, which included welding a clamp to an existing pipe to ensure a complete seal. The leak caused approximately 47,000 gallons of dielectric fluid — a clear, non-toxic, mineral-like liquid — to escape. Some sheen from the fluid did appear on the Ohio River that was contained by river booms and removed by absorbents. No further traces of the fluid were found in public waterways, and there were no impacts to the public or aquatic life. The company is continuing to investigate the cause of the incident and will take further necessary action based on the findings of the investigation.
“I can’t thank our team and partners enough for the thorough work that went into this process and for achieving a safe, successful outcome,” said John Hilderbrand II, vice president of operations at DLC. “We were able to complete these repairs while maintaining reliable service and keeping our community and environment top of mind. We will continue to investigate the cause of the incident and take any further necessary action based on the findings of that investigation.”
Traffic update: Both outbound lanes of Liberty Avenue between 26th and 28th streets in the Strip District were reopened this afternoon, May 16.
For more information on the leak, please refer to previously published stories here:
