Work concludes on Duquesne Light Company’s operations center revamp near Pittsburgh
Renovations finished on the Duquesne Light Company’s (DLC) operations center last week, updating the technology and efficiency capabilities of the Pittsburgh-centric facility.
One of the most visible changes for workers was a digital shift, with the replacement of a magnetic map board in the operations center’s main control room that required long sticks to move magnets around and indicate abnormal grid conditions clearances or crews. Now, that board has been replaced by a digital rendering of a transmission and subtransmission circuit map encompassing DLC’s service territory – no sticks required.
“Our operators are always in here. It’s a 24/7 facility, so it provides an opportunity for [operators] to be a bit more comfortable and still be able to step away for a moment, collect themselves and still be involved, in real time, with everything that’s happening at their desks,” Kevin Eckert, senior manager of control room operations, said.
On top of this, the facility – which allows DLC to service more than 600,000 customers in the Pittsburgh region – also gained a renovated break room and kitchen, updated workstations, a new training suite and overhauled work rooms with switchable glass, allowing a transition from translucent to opaque walls. The goal was that operators could be more comfortable and focused in their work spaces, creating more reliability and less delays between them and customers.
