Rhyan Cochrane

Rhyan Cochrane, PE, PMP is an engineering and operations executive whose career has been shaped by a deep commitment to reliability, safety, and strategic transformation within critical infrastructure. Beginning his journey in the technical trenches of electrical power systems, Cochrane built his expertise through hands-on roles in protection and control, SCADA development, and highpressure fluidfilled transmission systems. Over time, that technical foundation evolved into a leadership style defined by clarity, decisiveness, and an ability to bring structure to complex operational environments.

At Duquesne Light, Cochrane serves as Director of Substations & Grid Protection and Control, where he leads the teams responsible for commissioning, maintaining, and modernizing the grid’s most essential assets. He is known for guiding interdisciplinary crews through highstakes restoration events, conducting thorough investigations, and implementing corrective actions that strengthen system resilience. His work blends long-term strategic vision with the practical realities of field operations, ensuring that reliability and safety remain at the forefront of organizational priorities.

Before returning to Duquesne Light in this senior leadership role, Cochrane directed statewide business performance efforts at Pennsylvania American Water. There, he oversaw diverse operational programs, strengthened data integrity across departments, and played a central role in driving change initiatives that improved efficiency and alignment across the organization. Earlier, he led statewide engineering and automation efforts, applying systems engineering principles to unify SCADA architecture and elevate the consistency of project execution.

Across every chapter of his career, Cochrane has been recognized for his ability to restructure teams, refine processes, and elevate performance; whether by improving project delivery quality, enhancing regulatory compliance, or strengthening the link between technical operations and corporate strategy.

Cochrane holds a Graduate Certificate in Systems Engineering from Johns Hopkins University, a Master of Science in Engineering Management, and multiple undergraduate engineering degrees. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in Electrical Power and a certified Project Management Professional.