Using Culture to Drive Change: Kevin Walker

How Duquesne Light Company’s CEO is Leading a Clean Energy Transformation

As Duquesne Light Company (DLC) prepares for a cleaner and more equitable energy future for the Pittsburgh region of Pennsylvania, President and CEO Kevin Walker is leading the charge with a unified and purpose-driven team.

With the backdrop of a changing climate, rapidly advancing technology, and evolving customer needs, the energy industry faces numerous challenges that demand immediate action. DLC, located in southwestern Pennsylvania, is navigating this complex landscape with a clear vision. For over 100 years, DLC has provided safe and reliable electric service. Now, at a critical juncture, the company is steering the region towards a clean energy future under Walker’s leadership.

A Visionary Leader

Kevin Walker has been at the helm of DLC since 2021, overseeing service to over 600,000 customers in the Pittsburgh area. With three decades in the utility industry, Walker is well-acquainted with the sector’s evolving challenges.

“The first year was just setting the stage and defining the basics – the mission, the vision, the values, the core foundation of the company,” Walker shares.

As he marks his third year as President and CEO, Walker reflects on the intentional and purposeful transformation journey. This nearly $2 billion infrastructure upgrade aims to transition DLC from a traditional energy provider to a trusted energy partner. The global shift to renewable energy requires substantial groundwork at the local level.

“We needed to do a lot of foundational work to meet the needs of our customers, regulators, ownership group, and our region,” Walker explains. “The first year was about setting the stage. We had a lot of the basics in place, but they weren’t living, guiding principles. They weren’t guiding us every day.”

Leaning into Change

Recognizing the need for a cultural shift to drive his vision forward, Walker re-established the company’s mission, vision, and values as “living documents.” This foundational work accelerated the company’s pace towards its clean energy goals.

As a combat veteran, Walker understands the importance of commitment and structure. “The second year was about deepening the understanding of the new initiatives we launched,” he says. “We integrated our learnings deeper into the organization. I focused on the culture and the people who bring the strategy and vision to life.”

The third year was a time of learning and preparation, positioning the DLC team to realize the company’s renewed vision. “Rather than just telling our team how things would go, we taught them how things will look under the new mission, how they could increase their capability to deliver, and why it’s so important to our communities,” Walker elaborates. “The third year was about leaning into the foundation we have laid to achieve our mission.”

A United Purpose

As DLC moves into its fourth year under Walker’s leadership, he remains excited to see the transformative work come to fruition. “We’re never done. We have to care for and feed our progress and remain flexible to respond to further changes,” he asserts.

Safety, integrity, dependability, equity, and community focus are critical values for DLC. Walker believes these values form a compelling purpose that drives the company and its people. “If you say your purpose is to make money for your investors, that’s not going to excite or motivate anybody,” he notes. “Our performance must improve as we connect distributed energy resources to our grid, invest in that grid, and integrate cutting-edge technology.”

Walker’s experiences, particularly during the September 11 attacks while working with Con Edison, underscore the power of purpose. “There was no playbook for putting a city back together after such chaos. Our purpose was to show the world New York wasn’t down and out. It was a powerful and compelling purpose,” he recalls.

The Path Forward

In today’s climate of mistrust, Walker emphasizes that the most trusted entities will prevail. “I’ve been in the industry for 33 years, and this is the most fascinating, impactful, and consequential time since electricity was invented,” he says. “Power must be cleaner, affordable, and more efficient. We have to create a path for prosperity for everyone. If people are interested in what we’re doing in our region, I’m happy to share the lessons we’ve learned. In a climate of mistrust, the folks who have the most trust are going to win.”

Under Kevin Walker’s leadership, Duquesne Light Company is not just transitioning to a clean energy future; it’s doing so with a unified, purpose-driven culture that ensures every step is meaningful and impactful.