Duquesne Light Company’s New Substation Ready to Power Up Downtown Pittsburgh
The $237.4 million state-of-the-art facility will enhance energy resiliency for the Golden Triangle
PITTSBURGH — As part of its commitment to modernize the electric grid and provide reliable service for customers, Duquesne Light Company (DLC) will soon unveil a new, state-of-the-art substation, securing an additional source of safe, resilient power for the Golden Triangle.
The Watson Substation, located in Pittsburgh’s Bluff neighborhood — commonly referred to as Uptown and the Hill District — was built to improve resiliency amid increasingly volatile weather while also meeting the region’s growing energy demands. It is also a vital piece of critical infrastructure in Downtown’s ongoing revitalization efforts, alongside Arts Landing and the makeover of Market Square, particularly leading up to the highly anticipated 2026 NFL Draft. When complete, the substation will join DLC’s Brunot Island and Forbes substations in supplying power to the Downtown community.
The six-year, $237.4 million project was a joint effort between DLC; PWWG Architects, which designed the building’s façade; and Burns & McDonnell, the project designer and contractor.
The new substation boasts many notable and modern features, including numerous network circuits, 130 rooftop solar panels and a robust stormwater management system.
“DLC is incredibly proud to invest in the future of our region through critical infrastructure projects like Watson, which will strongly enhance the capacity of Downtown’s electric grid,” said Kevin Walker, DLC’s president and CEO. “Pittsburgh is in the middle of an inspiring transformation, and this effort plays a key role in a new, exciting chapter for the city. Watson will support the area’s ongoing growth and revitalization and serves as a prime example of DLC’s commitment to investing in our community and ensuring the continued delivery of safe, dependable power to our customers.”
Commitment to Community
Through public meetings and stakeholder discussions, DLC proactively sought feedback from the community throughout the development of the substation. The company partnered with local architect PWWG, which also oversaw DLC’s Riazzi Substation, to design a façade that reflects both environmental responsibility and neighborhood aesthetics and is also in line with the city’s EcoInnovation District Plan.
DLC conducted detailed studies on sound, lighting and stormwater management to ensure safety as well as compliance with local ordinances.
Power Transfer
The substation is scheduled for completion by this December. Prior to then, DLC will need to transition customers to the new facility by transferring service from the existing substations to Watson. The company plans to complete the process in two phases on Tuesday, Oct. 28, and Wednesday, Oct. 29, both at approximately 10 p.m.
Based on current projections and subject to conditions remaining stable, DLC anticipates the possibility of a brief, temporary power outage each night, which is not expected to exceed 30 minutes. This estimate is provided for planning purposes only and may be subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances beyond the company’s control.
DLC will focus on a different part of the city each night, meaning that any power interruptions would not affect customers twice. Areas that may see an impact include Boulevard of the Allies; Fort Pitt Boulevard; Bigelow Square; Boyd, Chatham, Crawford, Diamond, Grant, Ross, Smithfield and Wood streets; Centre, Forbes, Liberty, Oliver, First, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and Seventh avenues; and Cherry, Strawberry and William Penn ways.
DLC has proactively notified impacted customers, emergency officials, the City of Pittsburgh and other relevant stakeholders about what they should expect and how they should prepare for any potential service interruptions.
Should DLC need to postpone the power transfer, the alternate dates will be Tuesday, Nov. 18, and Wednesday, Nov. 19. The company encourages customers to ensure that their contact information is updated in order to receive timely communications about the project. Customers can update their contact information by navigating to their online account settings or by calling DLC’s customer service at 888-393-7100.
To learn more, visit DuquesneLight.com/Watson.