Duquesne Light Company (DLC) plans to complete its new, state-of-the-art, $237.4 million substation in December, providing an additional source of power for the Golden Triangle.
The Watson Substation, located in Pittsburgh’s Bluff neighborhood — commonly referred to as Uptown and the Hill District — was built to improve resiliency amid increasingly volatile weather while also meeting the region’s growing energy demands, according to DLC.
“DLC is incredibly proud to invest in the future of our region through critical infrastructure projects like Watson, which will strongly enhance the capacity of downtown’s electric grid,” DLC President and CEO Kevin Walker said Oct. 16.
The six-year, $237.4-million project is a joint effort between DLC; PWWG Architects, which designed the building’s façade; and Burns & McDonnell, the project designer and contractor.
Once completed, the substation will join DLC’s Brunot Island and Forbes substations in supplying power to the downtown community.
The new substation also boasts several notable and modern features, including numerous network circuits, 130 rooftop solar panels, and a robust stormwater management system, DLC said.
The substation is also a vital piece of critical infrastructure in the downtown’s ongoing revitalization efforts, alongside Arts Landing and the makeover of Market Square.
“Pittsburgh is in the middle of an inspiring transformation and this effort plays a key role in a new, exciting chapter for the city,” said Walker. “Watson will support the area’s ongoing growth and revitalization and serves as a prime example of DLC’s commitment to investing in our community and ensuring the continued delivery of safe, dependable power to our customers.”
Prior to the substation’s scheduled December completion, DLC said it will need to transition customers to the new facility by transferring service from the existing substations to Watson.
The company said it plans to complete the process in two phases on Tuesday, Oct. 28, and Wednesday, Oct. 29, both at approximately 10 p.m.
Based on current projections and subject to conditions remaining stable, DLC said it expects the possibility of a brief, temporary power outage each night that will not exceed 30 minutes.
This estimate is provided for planning purposes only and may be subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances beyond the company’s control, said DLC, which plans to focus on a different part of the city each night, meaning that any power interruptions would not affect customers twice.
Areas that may see an impact include Boulevard of the Allies; Fort Pitt Boulevard; Bigelow Square; Boyd, Chatham, Crawford, Diamond, Grant, Ross, Smithfield and Wood streets; Centre, Forbes, Liberty, Oliver, First, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and Seventh avenues; and Cherry, Strawberry and William Penn ways.
DLC said it has notified impacted customers, emergency officials, the City of Pittsburgh, and other relevant stakeholders about what they should expect and how they should prepare for any potential service interruptions.
Should DLC need to postpone the power transfer, the alternate dates would be Tuesday, Nov. 18, and Wednesday, Nov. 19, according to the company.