Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission Approves Duquesne Light Company’s Proposed Rate Increase
New distribution rates take effect on Dec. 20; will support service reliability and electric grid modernization projects
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The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) has approved Duquesne Light Company's (DLC) settlement petition to increase distribution rates to support ongoing investments in service reliability and electric grid modernization projects. The base distribution rate increase — DLC’s first since 2022 — will go into effect on Dec. 20, 2024. The company will use the additional revenue to support essential investments required to continue delivering safe and reliable electric service while supporting the vibrancy, prosperity and competitiveness of the Pittsburgh region.
Under the approved settlement agreement:
- Residential default service customers using 600 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per month will see their bill increase from $134.35 to $138.68, or 3.22%.
- Commercial default service customers using 10,000 kWh per month will see their bill increase from $1,235.10 to $1,264.29, or 2.36%.
- Industrial default service customers using 200,000 kWh per month will see their bill increase from $18,455.06 to $19,017.38, or 3.05%.
“The PUC’s approval of our settlement is a critical step forward in our efforts to improve reliability, continue modernizing the grid and lead our region’s transition to an equitable clean energy future,” said Kevin Walker, president and CEO of DLC. “Our main purpose is always to deliver safe, reliable and resilient electricity to our region, which is more important now than ever before as the energy market evolves and our area experiences more extreme weather. These investments are necessary to ensure that the grid is prepared to meet current and future demands while balancing affordability for our customers.”
Investing in People and the Future
The rate increase will enable DLC to invest in several important areas, including:
- Constructing a new substation in Pittsburgh’s Uptown neighborhood that will provide additional capacity, increased reliability, resiliency gains and electrical flexibility in how DLC serves the community.
- Helping customers make informed decisions about electric vehicles and empowering them to experience the benefits of electric mobility through increased charging infrastructure as well as new incentives and rate structures.
- Investing in new outage-related programs and tools to enhance customer experience.
- Expanding programs and resources that support customers in need.
- Continuing the installation of modern streetlights that have advanced capabilities, including providing notifications that enable more efficient maintenance and repair.
- Supporting DLC’s comprehensive vegetation management program, which aims to prevent service interruptions by keeping vegetation away from electrical circuits and removing trees that are at risk of falling onto distribution lines.
For more information on DLC’s rate review, visit DuquesneLight.com/rate-review or call 888-664-6579.