When will power be restored to the Pittsburgh area? Duquesne Light updates timeline
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- After severe storms knocked out power to 85,000 people in the Pittsburgh area, Duquesne Light expects to have it fully restored by Friday night, two days earlier than previously expected.
Duquesne Light Company provided an updated timeline for restoring power on Thursday afternoon, saying only about 650 customers are without power now.
Because of continued work and outside help, Duquesne Light says power will fully be restored by Friday, June 21 at 9 p.m., with the majority expected sooner. Before, the company had said it would all be back up by Sunday.
After Monday's storms, West Penn Power was also reporting thousands of outages in the Pittsburgh area but it has since been mostly restored. Across the area, about 100,000 people lost power after severe thunderstorms.
The power outages come amid a heat wave, with the Pittsburgh area in its fourth straight day of 90-degree heat. Duquesne Light said while it expects to fix everything from Monday's severe weather, the company can't rule out additional outages from the heat.
People without power are encouraged to make alternate arrangements to stay cool and safe. There are several cooling centers open across the area for people who don't have access to A/C.
An excessive heat warning is in place for Beaver, Butler, Allegheny, Washington, Westmoreland and Fayette counties through 8 p.m. on Saturday. That means the heat index could hit up to 110 degrees and there will be little relief overnight. After Saturday, temperatures will cool off a little, with Monday's highs only hitting the low 80s.