Contact Duquesne Light
Residential customer service
1-888-393-7000Toll-free, Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Pittsburgh local line: 412-393-7100.
Outage / emergency (24/7)
1-888-393-7000Same number, automated outage menu. Online reporting and the DLC outage map are also available 24/7.
Pay by phone
1-877-381-7710Automated bank-draft or card payment 24/7. A processing fee applies to card payments.
Utility fact sheet
- Type
- IOU, wires-only EDC
- Parent
- Duquesne Light Holdings (private)
- Customers
- ~600,000
- Service area
- Allegheny + Beaver counties (817 sq mi)
- Retail choice?
- Yes (PA-wide since 1999)
- May 2026 PTC
- ~9.5 ¢/kWh
- Regulator
- PA PUC + FERC
- RTO
- PJM Interconnection
- Headquarters
- 411 Seventh Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15219
What you can do here
-
1
Start, stop or transfer service
Call 1-888-393-7000 at least 2 business days before move-in. Have your new address, move-in date and a photo ID ready.
-
2
Pick a supplier or stay on PTC
PA has retail choice. Stay on Duquesne's Price to Compare or pick a licensed EGS on PAPowerSwitch.com.
-
3
Check the next PTC reset
DLC's residential PTC resets every June 1 and December 1. The May 2026 rate sits near 9.5 ¢/kWh.
What Duquesne Light does (and does not) do
Pennsylvania split electric supply from delivery in 1999. DLC keeps the wires, meters and grid; the energy itself can come from DLC's default service auction or from a competitive supplier you chose.
Delivery (always DLC)
Poles, wires, substations, transformers, smart meters and the team that restores power. About 98% of DLC meters are now AMI smart meters.
Default supply (PTC)
If you do not shop, DLC procures power for you via wholesale auctions at PJM and bills the clearing price as the Price to Compare. The PTC resets twice a year, on June 1 and December 1.
Outage response
Whether you shop or not, DLC is the only company you call for outages, downed lines, voltage problems or meter issues. By SAIDI, DLC ranks among the most reliable PA IOUs (~30% below the state average).
About Duquesne Light Company
Duquesne Light Company was founded in 1880 and merged into the modern entity in 1912, when 13 smaller Pittsburgh-area generating and street-lighting companies consolidated. For most of its life DLC was a publicly listed utility, first under Duquesne Light Holdings (NYSE: DQE) and then under DQE Holdings. In 2007 DQE was taken private; in 2020 a consortium led by Macquarie Infrastructure Partners and the Public Sector Pension Investment Board acquired the parent for roughly $2.6 billion.
DLC's footprint is compact compared to other PA IOUs: 817 sq mi covering all of Allegheny County (Pittsburgh plus its near suburbs) and most of Beaver County to the northwest. That density, plus a high share of underground distribution in central Pittsburgh, explains why DLC scores well on SAIDI: outage duration runs roughly 30% below the Pennsylvania IOU average.
Since 2000, DLC has been a wires-only EDC; it does not own generation. Power is procured on behalf of default-service customers via a portfolio of full-requirements contracts auctioned through the PA PUC's default service plan, and delivered through the PJM Interconnection wholesale market.
Anatomy of a Duquesne Light bill
A DLC residential bill is split into two halves: supply (the energy itself, shoppable) and delivery (DLC charges, non-shoppable). Knowing which line is which is the first step to lower bills.
| Line item | Typical May 2026 amount | Shoppable? |
|---|---|---|
| Generation (Price to Compare) | ~9.5 ¢/kWh | Yes, EGS |
| Transmission service | ~1.3 ¢/kWh | No |
| Distribution charge | ~5.2 ¢/kWh | No |
| Customer charge | ~$11.00 / month | No |
| Riders (USP, smart meter, EE&C) | ~0.5 to 1 ¢/kWh combined | No |
Reading tip
Only the generation line is competitive. If a third-party offer beats DLC's PTC of ~9.5 ¢/kWh, your supply line goes down; everything else stays the same. Check the Price to Compare printed on your DLC bill (top right of page 2) before signing any supplier contract.
Duquesne Light service area
DLC covers two counties: all of Allegheny (Pittsburgh and inner suburbs) and most of Beaver. Outside this footprint, southwestern PA is served by West Penn Power (FirstEnergy) or Penelec.
Allegheny County
Pittsburgh, Bethel Park, Mt. Lebanon, McKeesport, McCandless, Plum, Wilkinsburg, Penn Hills, West Mifflin, Monroeville, North Versailles and the I-376 / I-279 corridors.
Beaver County
Aliquippa, Beaver, Coraopolis (border), Ambridge, Monaca, Rochester, Bridgewater and most of the Ohio River corridor downstream of Pittsburgh.
Duquesne Light's Price to Compare (PTC)
The PTC is the per-kWh price DLC charges for default supply if you have not picked a competitive EGS. It is the benchmark every shopping offer at PAPowerSwitch.com is compared against.
Residential PTC (May 2026)
~9.5 ¢/kWh
Rate Schedule RS
Reset cadence
June 1 / Dec 1
Twice a year, per PA PUC default service plan
Regulator
PA PUC
Default Service Plan filings
What it means for you
A shopping offer below ~9.5 ¢/kWh beats the May 2026 PTC. Be aware that many EGS offers reset after a 3 to 6 month introductory period; always read the disclosure statement and check the renewal terms. Locking a fixed price for 12 to 24 months can hedge the next PTC reset in June or December, but you will pay a small risk premium for the certainty.
Source: Duquesne Light Company; PA Public Utility Commission default service plan filings; EIA Form 826, May 2026.
Duquesne Light contact directory
Use these direct lines instead of the main menu when you know what you need.
| Reason for the call | Number | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Residential customer service | 1-888-393-7000 | Mon to Fri 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. |
| Pittsburgh local line | 412-393-7100 | Same hours as toll-free |
| Outage / emergency | 1-888-393-7000 | 24/7 automated, agents during business hours |
| Pay by phone | 1-877-381-7710 | 24/7 |
| Payment arrangements / CAP | 1-888-393-7100 | Mon to Fri 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| Hearing impaired (PA Relay) | 711 | 24/7 |
| Builders & new service connections | 412-393-7100 | Mon to Fri 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
| Mailing address (payments) | Duquesne Light Company, PO Box 67, Pittsburgh, PA 15267 | |
If you cannot pay your bill
Duquesne Light participates in PA's universal-service programs. Apply before a 10-day shut-off notice; once enrolled, the PUC's winter shut-off ban (Dec 1 to Apr 1) protects most residential customers.
Smart Comfort Program
DLC's income-qualified CAP. Caps the monthly bill at a percentage of household income, plus arrearage forgiveness for on-time payments.
LIHEAP
Federal heating grant administered by the PA Department of Human Services. Opens each November, closes around early April.
Dollar Energy Fund
Pittsburgh-based hardship grant funded by DLC customer donations and corporate matching. Up to $500 once per cold season.
Can I switch suppliers in DLC territory?
Yes. Since the 1996 Electricity Generation Customer Choice and Competition Act, all Pennsylvania residential customers can buy electricity from a licensed EGS instead of taking their EDC's default service. DLC still owns the wires; only the supply line on your bill changes.
The PA PUC runs the official shopping site, PAPowerSwitch.com. Every offer shown there must disclose the price, term, renewal terms and cancellation fee. Compare any offer against DLC's current PTC (~9.5 ¢/kWh in May 2026); a deal below that figure lowers the supply portion of your bill on day one.
A switch typically takes 1 to 2 billing cycles, and there is no fee charged by DLC. The supplier may bill a cancellation fee if you leave a fixed-term contract early; the maximum disclosed cancellation fee is required to be on the first page of the contract.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Duquesne Light?
Can I shop for a cheaper electricity supplier in DLC territory?
What is Duquesne Light's Price to Compare right now?
Who do I call for a downed power line or outage?
Does Duquesne Light deliver natural gas?
Is help available if I cannot pay my bill?
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