On the evening of April 29, 2025, Pittsburgh and its surrounding areas were plunged into darkness as severe thunderstorms tore through Western Pennsylvania. With wind gusts exceeding 70 mph, heavy rain, and large hail, the storms caused widespread destruction, downing trees, power lines, and even a power pole that caught fire. The result was one of the most significant power outages in recent memory, affecting over 500,000 customers across the region. Duquesne Light and West Penn Power, the primary utility providers, faced an unprecedented challenge in restoring power amidst extensive damage and ongoing safety concerns. This blog post explores the storm’s impact, the utilities’ response, and the tools and strategies employed to navigate Pittsburgh’s 2025 storm crisis.
The Storm That Changed Pittsburgh’s Night
The storms that struck on April 29 were no ordinary weather event. The National Weather Service recorded a wind gust of 71.3 mph at Pittsburgh International Airport, the third-strongest in the city’s history, with some areas experiencing gusts up to 80–90 mph—stronger than many EF0 and EF1 tornadoes. Tornado warnings were issued across Allegheny, Beaver, Washington, and Westmoreland counties, urging residents to seek shelter. The storms brought down trees, damaged roofs, and disrupted critical infrastructure, including Pittsburgh’s 911 system, which experienced outages, complicating emergency responses.
The human toll was tragic, with two storm-related deaths reported in Allegheny County, one due to electrocution in Pittsburgh’s South Side Slopes. The storms also disrupted preparations for the 2025 US Open at Oakmont Country Club, where tents were damaged, and caused widespread inconvenience, from non-functional air conditioning in 80-degree heat to spoiled food in warming refrigerators. Pittsburgh Public Schools operated on a two-hour delay on April 30, and after-school events were canceled, reflecting the storm’s broad impact on daily life.
The Scale of the Power Outages
The outages were staggering in scope. Duquesne Light, serving Allegheny and Beaver counties, reported over 240,000 customers—nearly 40% of its 613,561 total customers—without power by 11:30 p.m. on April 29. Allegheny County alone saw over 216,000 households and businesses affected, with Beaver County reporting 20,000 outages. West Penn Power, a FirstEnergy subsidiary covering areas like Allegheny, Armstrong, Indiana, Washington, and Westmoreland, reported nearly 280,000 customers impacted, including 190,000 in its service area. At the peak, over 500,000 customers across Western Pennsylvania were in the dark, making this one of the worst outages in the region’s recent history.
The damage was extensive, with Duquesne Light describing the event as “unprecedented” due to hundreds of instances of trees on wires, broken utility poles, and downed lines. FirstEnergy noted similar challenges, warning that restoration could take multiple days in heavily impacted areas like Washington County. The outages affected neighborhoods like Squirrel Hill, Oakland, and Penn Hills, which have faced recurrent power issues in 2025 due to storms or equipment failures.
Duquesne Light’s Response: Preparedness and Action
Duquesne Light was proactive in its preparations. As early as April 28, the utility anticipated severe weather and staffed extra crews to respond to potential outages. Matt Neistein, Director of Communications, emphasized that the company prioritized restoring power to critical infrastructure, such as hospitals and water systems, while ensuring safety and fairness in the process. Crews worked around the clock, assessing damage and addressing hazards like downed wires, which posed significant risks, as evidenced by the South Side Slopes fatality.
By April 30, Duquesne Light had requested 50 mutual assistance contractors to bolster restoration efforts, a strategy used in past storms, such as the December 2024 outages that left 55,000 customers without power. The company urged customers to report outages via its website, mobile app, or by calling 888-393-7000, and to avoid downed wires, reinforcing safety protocols. Despite the website briefly crashing under heavy traffic on April 29, the Duquesne Light outage map became a critical tool, providing real-time updates on affected areas and estimated restoration times, though initial delays in assessments were expected due to the storm’s severity.
West Penn Power’s Efforts: A Multi-Day Challenge
West Penn Power, under FirstEnergy’s management, also mobilized quickly, deploying crews to survey damage and restore service. The utility reported over 260,000 customers without power at the peak, with significant outages in Washington and Westmoreland counties. FirstEnergy’s Storm Center PA, accessible online, allowed customers to track outages and report issues, complementing the utility’s efforts to communicate progress. Todd Meyers, a West Penn Power spokesperson, noted that the company prioritized critical and emergent needs, such as restoring power to emergency services, before addressing residential outages.
The scale of the damage, including broken poles and vegetation on lines, meant that full restoration could extend into the weekend for some areas. West Penn Power encouraged customers to stay 30 feet away from downed lines and report hazards, echoing Duquesne Light’s safety warnings. The utility’s experience with prior storms, such as the March 2025 event that left 98,000 customers without power, informed its approach, with extra dispatchers and damage assessors deployed to streamline efforts.
Tools and Media: Keeping Pittsburgh Informed
For residents, staying informed was crucial. The Duquesne Light outage map and FirstEnergy’s Storm Center PA provided real-time data, though both faced challenges with high traffic. Local media outlets were indispensable. WPXI reported on the outages’ scale, sharing photos of storm damage, such as roof collapses in New Kensington, and provided links to outage maps. WTAE covered the spike in outages, noting over 240,000 Duquesne Light customers affected in Allegheny County, and offered interactive radar tools for weather updates. CBS Pittsburgh reported on school delays and the storm’s fatalities, delivering First Alert Weather forecasts to keep residents prepared.
Social media, particularly X, captured community sentiment. A post from @pgh_scanner noted that 20% of Allegheny County was without power, with Duquesne Light estimating days for full restoration. Another from @RepMayes highlighted 250,000 outages in Duquesne Light’s service area, urging residents to report issues. These posts underscored the crisis’s severity and the utilities’ ongoing efforts, while also reflecting public frustration over prolonged outages.
Pittsburgh’s Weather: A Recurring Challenge
The April 29 storms were part of a pattern of severe weather in 2025. Earlier storms in February and March brought snow, flooding, and tornado warnings, leaving thousands without power in Washington, Westmoreland, and Fayette counties. The March 2025 storm, for instance, affected 98,000 West Penn Power customers and 5,070 Duquesne Light customers. Pittsburgh’s variable weather, combined with its hilly terrain and dense tree cover, makes its power infrastructure vulnerable to high winds and falling branches, as seen in past events like the 2020 Tropical Storm Cristobal remnants.
The National Weather Service’s “enhanced risk” warning for April 29, coupled with a thunderstorm watch until 10 p.m., prompted utilities to act swiftly. However, the storm’s intensity, with winds rivaling tornadoes, overwhelmed even prepared systems, highlighting the need for ongoing grid upgrades and tree-trimming programs to mitigate future risks.
Community Resilience and Safety
Despite the challenges, Pittsburgh’s community showed resilience. Neighbors shared generators, local businesses offered support to linemen, and residents rallied to clear debris. Duquesne Light reported positive community interactions, with one crew member noting that residents’ encouragement made long shifts worthwhile. Safety remained a priority, with utilities and media urging residents to avoid downed wires and report emergencies to 911 or utility hotlines.
Looking Ahead: Recovery and Preparedness
As of April 30, 2025, Duquesne Light aimed to restore power to most customers by Friday night, though some areas faced longer delays. West Penn Power projected restoration into the weekend for heavily impacted regions. Both utilities continued to update outage maps and communicate via social media, with Duquesne Light’s X post on April 30 emphasizing ongoing assessments and safety reminders.
The crisis underscores the need for resilient infrastructure. Duquesne Light’s pre-storm investments in grid upgrades helped minimize damage, but the storm’s scale exposed vulnerabilities. Future efforts, including enhanced tree maintenance and communication systems, will be critical as severe weather becomes more frequent. Residents can prepare by signing up for outage alerts, keeping emergency kits ready, and monitoring weather updates from WTAE, WPXI, or CBS Pittsburgh.
Conclusion
The April 29, 2025, storm crisis tested Pittsburgh’s resolve, but Duquesne Light and West Penn Power rose to the challenge with coordinated responses, extra crews, and transparent communication. The outages, affecting over 500,000 customers, highlighted the region’s vulnerability to severe weather, but also its resilience. As restoration continues, Pittsburghers are reminded to stay safe, report hazards, and rely on tools like outage maps and local media. With utilities and the community working together, the city is finding its way back to the light, one restored circuit at a time.
