Thousands in Pittsburgh still without power five days after storm, frustrations grow

Thousands of Pittsburghers are still without power more than five days after violent storms swept through the area. “Like, we’re left out. That’s the way we feel,” said Fred Gibson, who lives in Prospect Terrace in East Pittsburgh.Residents there haven’t showered, lost food to spoilage, and are running cars to charge their phones. “That’s gas I’m burning that I shouldn’t be burning,” Gibson said.Yet, fallen trees and power lines remain untouched.Duquesne Light crews, bolstered by help from other teams, are slowly restoring power, and residents are watching closely.”Appreciate all the different people out here just doing all the work. Just want to see if it’s going to get on today,” said Monroeville resident Deon Nalley-Stoddard.Despite being labeled “unprecedented,” the storm’s devastation offers little solace to those enduring days without power. State Rep. Mandy Steele, the acting chair of the House Committee on Energy, is vocal about the need for better preparation and communication.”They need twice-daily briefings from these electricity providers so that they can prepare,” Steele said, “The United States Army Corps of Engineers has been for years, saying that because of climate change, these storms are going to increase in frequency and severity.”As the state legislature reconvenes on Monday, Steele has plans to investigate the outages. “We bring in people who have been impacted by this storm and people who represent the electric suppliers. What went wrong? What can we improve for next time? I intend to hold them accountable,” she said. Duquesne Light estimates that the remaining neighborhoods without power are expected to have service restored by Tuesday night.