Duquesne Light Pittsburgh: Electric Rates & Service Guide

Duquesne Light is Pittsburgh's electric utility. They've been around for over 130 years, serving more than 600,000 customers across about 817 square miles of western Pennsylvania.

Here's the thing about Duquesne Light. They don't make your electricity. Pennsylvania has a deregulated market, which means Duquesne Light just delivers the power to your home. They own the poles and wires. They fix the lines when storms knock them down. But the actual electricity? That comes from suppliers you can choose yourself through PA Power Switch.

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission regulates them. Duquesne Light is a subsidiary of Duquesne Light Holdings. They handle infrastructure, respond to outages, and read your meter. That part doesn't change no matter which supplier you pick.

Duquesne Light covers western Pennsylvania along the Ohio border. Most of Allegheny County (that's Pittsburgh) and neighboring Beaver County.

If you live in Downtown Pittsburgh, the North Hills, South Hills, or the eastern suburbs, you're probably in Duquesne Light territory. Same goes for Penn Hills, Bethel Park, Ross Township, and Shaler Township. Pittsburgh proper has about 302,000 people, but Duquesne Light serves the whole metro area.

They've got over 45,000 miles of power lines - overhead and underground. About 525,000 residential customers (roughly 90% of their total) and 63,000 commercial and industrial accounts.

Not sure if Duquesne Light is your utility? Check your electric bill. Or go to PA Power Switch and plug in your address. That'll tell you.

As of December 2025, Duquesne Light's Price to Compare is 12.43 cents per kWh for residential customers. Business customers pay around 10.29¢/kWh.

That's up from early 2025. Way up. In June 2025, the generation part of your rate jumped from 8.45¢ to 9.71¢ per kWh. That's over a 15% increase in one shot.

Why? The June 2024 PJM capacity auction went absolutely insane - 833% higher than the year before. When wholesale capacity costs spike like that, your Price to Compare follows.

Duquesne Light updates this rate twice a year on June 1 and December 1. That's different from FirstEnergy utilities like Met-Ed, which change rates every quarter. The semi-annual schedule means your rate stays put for six months between adjustments.

The Price to Compare includes generation supply, transmission, gross receipts tax, and Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards compliance. Everything but the poles and wires.

June 2025 hit Duquesne Light customers with an average monthly bill increase of about $9. Not a small bump.

The main culprit? That June 2024 PJM capacity auction I mentioned. Pricing came in 833% higher than the prior year. Eight hundred and thirty-three percent. That's not a typo.

Capacity costs are payments to power plants to stay ready to generate electricity when demand peaks. When old plants retire faster than new ones come online, those costs shoot up. Throw in rising natural gas prices (which fuel a ton of Pennsylvania's electricity generation), and prices spike.

Residential customers saw bills jump 10-20%. Businesses got hit even harder - some saw increases up to 29%.

Those wholesale market costs flow straight through to the Price to Compare. Duquesne Light doesn't mark them up - they just pass along what they paid at auction. Cold comfort when your bill's higher, but at least it's transparent.

Switching electricity suppliers with Duquesne Light is straightforward. Pennsylvania makes this easy.

Go to PAPowerSwitch.com. That's the official state comparison site. Grab your Duquesne Light account number from your bill before you start.

Compare what's available against the 12.43¢/kWh Price to Compare. If you find a supplier beating that rate with terms you like, sign up directly through their website or phone number.

The supplier handles all the notifications automatically. Duquesne Light doesn't care who you pick - they get the same delivery fee regardless. The switch takes one to two billing cycles. Your power won't flicker. You'll still get one bill from Duquesne Light, just with your new supplier's rate on it.

Duquesne Light continues delivering electricity and responding to outages no matter who you buy from. The wires don't care about your supplier choice.

Your Duquesne Light bill splits charges into different buckets. Here's what you're paying for.

Supply charges cover electricity generation. If you haven't picked a supplier, that's the Price to Compare. If you switched, it's whatever rate your supplier charges. This is the part that changes when you shop.

Distribution charges pay for the infrastructure delivering electricity to your house. Poles, wires, transformers, maintenance. That stays with Duquesne Light no matter what.

Customer charge is a fixed monthly fee just for being connected. Transmission charges cover moving power from generating stations to the local grid. And riders fund smart meters, energy efficiency programs, and infrastructure improvements.

Your bill also shows total kilowatt-hour usage, daily averages, and year-over-year comparisons. The Price to Compare is listed right there for easy shopping. If you're using a competitive supplier, their name and rate show up too.

Duquesne Light handles all power outages in their territory. Doesn't matter who you buy electricity from - Duquesne Light owns the infrastructure, so Duquesne Light fixes the problems.

Report outages by calling 412-393-7100, using the Duquesne Light website, or their mobile app. The online outage map shows affected areas and estimated restoration times. Those estimates aren't guarantees - storms are unpredictable - but at least you know they're working on it.

They've invested in grid modernization: smart meters, automated switching equipment to reroute power during outages, aggressive tree trimming programs to keep branches off the lines. They run 24/7 emergency crews for downed wires, equipment failures, and storm damage.

If you see downed power lines or electrical hazards, call 412-393-7000 immediately. Don't go near them. Those will kill you.

You can register for outage alerts via text, email, or phone. When the power goes out, you'll at least know what's happening.

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission provides real consumer protections for Duquesne Light customers. Not just rules on paper.

All suppliers must hold valid PA PUC licenses. No fly-by-night operations. You get a 3-day rescission period to cancel new contracts without penalty if you change your mind. Contracts must include standardized disclosure statements so you know what you're signing.

Early termination fees are capped at $50 for contracts one year or less. That's huge. Some states let suppliers charge whatever they want. Pennsylvania said no.

If you've got a satisfactory payment history, suppliers can't demand security deposits. And Duquesne Light must maintain equal service quality regardless of which supplier you pick. Your power can't mysteriously get worse because you shopped around.

Billing disputes? The PA PUC investigates. They also publish supplier complaint statistics, so you can see which companies treat customers poorly before you sign up.

These protections matter. You can shop confidently knowing Pennsylvania's got your back.

Want to cut your Duquesne Light bill? You've got two options: shop for better rates or use less electricity. Both work.

Start by comparing supplier offers against that 12.43¢/kWh Price to Compare. Fixed-rate plans protect you from future increases - you lock in today's price even if rates spike next year. Review offers every 6-12 months because the market changes.

Duquesne Light runs efficiency programs funded by those rider charges on your bill. Appliance rebates, weatherization assistance, energy audits. You're already paying for these programs - might as well use them.

Quick wins: A smart thermostat can cut heating and cooling costs without you thinking about it. LED bulbs save a ton compared to old incandescent lights. Energy Star appliances use less power for the same work.

If your monthly bill swings wildly, budget billing spreads costs evenly across 12 months. No more surprises. If you're low-income, the Customer Assistance Program offers reduced rates - call and ask if you qualify.

To reach Duquesne Light when you need them.

Customer service: 412-393-7100 for billing, accounts, and general service questions.

Power outages: Same number (412-393-7100) or use the Duquesne Light app.

Emergency (downed wires, electrical hazards): 412-393-7000. Call this immediately, not the regular customer service line.

Online, go to duquesnelight.com for account management, bill payment, and usage tracking. PAPowerSwitch.com is where you compare licensed electricity suppliers. And puc.pa.gov has consumer guides, complaint data, and dispute resolution.

If you need help paying your bill, LIHEAP provides assistance for qualifying customers. The Customer Assistance Program offers reduced rates if you're income-eligible. Don't wait until you're months behind - call and ask about these programs before it gets bad.