Proactive Vegetation Management Is Essential to Keeping the Lights On

PITTSBURGH — Duquesne Light Company (DLC) has kicked off its 2025 vegetation management season of clearing overgrown trees, shrubs and brush from power lines to help prevent outages and protect customers and communities. Falling trees and vegetation are a leading cause of power interruptions in DLC’s service territory, making routine vegetation management crucial to maintaining safe and reliable service. The company also recently launched a Referral Network Program to connect customers with trusted local partners to help remove unwanted wood from their property.

Keeping Power Lines Clear

DLC takes a proactive, year-round approach to keeping power lines clear, especially during storms and heavy winds when overgrown vegetation is more likely to fall onto power lines and produce outages. The company will maintain approximately 38,000 trees along 1,300 miles of power lines in Allegheny and Beaver counties in 2025, including areas within the city of Pittsburgh. The full schedule can be found here.

When it comes to best practices, customers are encouraged to follow the “right tree, right place” approach when planning landscaping around their homes, businesses and communities. There are many types of utility-compatible shrubs and trees that, at less than 25 feet, do not grow tall enough to interfere with power lines.

While tree removals may be necessary to protect the electric grid, DLC offers vouchers for utility-compatible trees to impacted property owners. These vouchers can be redeemed at local nurseries and are good for trees, brush and shrubs that do not grow high enough to affect poles and wires.

“We can’t emphasize enough how routine vegetation management is paramount to delivering safe and reliable service to our communities,” said Jereme Didier, DLC’s interim senior manager of vegetation management. “Pruning and removing hazardous vegetation is just one aspect of our work. Educating our customers on proper planning and planting is also crucial to protecting our infrastructure and keeping the lights on.”

Wood Removal Assistance

A common concern for homeowners after vegetation is cut on their property is deciding what to do with wood that is left behind. While DLC will haul away branches and limbs, any remaining wood is left in manageable pieces for the customer to repurpose or dispose of as they desire.

For those who need help removing leftover wood, DLC’s recently launched Referral Network Program identifies qualified, vetted professionals who can assist. To request a referral, customers can complete an online form or email referralnetwork@duqlight.com. ​ ​

Keeping Customers Informed

Prior to performing routine maintenance, DLC notifies all impacted customers and property owners via phone and door hangers. If tree removal is necessary, DLC requires the customer to acknowledge the scheduled removal on the door hanger and their responsibility to dispose of or repurpose any remaining wood.

Customers are first notified of planned vegetation work about a year in advance and receive a reminder in the weeks leading up to the project.

Safety Reminders
​While DLC operationally maintains the wire that delivers electricity from the utility pole to a home, the customer is responsible for pruning or removing any vines or tree branches that may interfere with that wire.

Each year, many people are seriously injured or killed by unexpectedly coming into contact with power lines while tree trimming. Here are some safety tips to keep in mind: