As part of Duquesne Light’s, Pittsburgh, PA, infrastructure investment, the company’s extensive rehabilitation of the underground distribution system serving the Fox Hall residential plan in O’Hara Township, begun on June 5, was completed July 17, meeting the projected time estimate for the project. The work, which replaced cables and transformers and added switches, is part of the company’s investment of more than $500 million in the region’s electric infrastructure to replace aging circuits and equipment and to improve power capacity. A major part of that commitment is ensuring that the electrical infrastructure – the wires, transformers, substations, poles and other equipment that make up the company’s transmission and distribution system – continues to deliver power safely and reliably to customers. This improvement of the electric facilities that serve Fox Hall will prevent unexpected outages with unpredictable repair times in the foreseeable future.

In preparation for the planned rehabilitation of the underground residential distribution system (URD), Duquesne Light held two public meetings with Fox Hall residents. “We are providing residents with as much information as possible to help them prepare for this work so we can minimize any inconveniences,” said John Khalil, project engineer.

The Fox Hall residential plan is the fifth URD plan to be completely rehabilitated in Duquesne Light’s service area in recent years. Original construction of many of these plans dates back to the 1970s. Rather than make additional repairs to the aged infrastructure, the company is completely rewiring the underground distribution system in these neighborhoods.