<PAGE>

                                                                    Exhibit 24.1

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned, a Director of DQE,
Inc., which company proposes to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission
an Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2001,
pursuant to the provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,
has made, constituted and appointed and by these presents does hereby make,
constitute and appoint Morgan K. O'Brien, Frosina C. Cordisco and Stevan R.
Schott, and each of them severally, his true and lawful attorney, for him and in
his name, place and stead, and in his office and capacity as aforesaid, to sign
and file said Form 10-K and any amendments thereto, and any and all other
documents to be signed and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in
connection therewith, hereby granting to Morgan K. O'Brien, Frosina C. Cordisco
and Stevan R. Schott, and each of them severally, full power and authority to do
and perform each and every act as fully, to all intents and purposes, as he
might or could do if personally present, hereby ratifying and confirming in all
respects all that Morgan K. O'Brien, Frosina C. Cordisco and Stevan R. Schott,
and each of them severally, may or shall lawfully do or cause to be done by
virtue hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has set his hand and seal as of
February 28, 2002.


                                                    /s/ Daniel Berg
                                                    ----------------------------
                                                    Daniel Berg, Director
<PAGE>

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned, a Director of DQE,
Inc., which company proposes to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission
an Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2001,
pursuant to the provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,
has made, constituted and appointed and by these presents does hereby make,
constitute and appoint Morgan K. O'Brien, Frosina C. Cordisco and Stevan R.
Schott, and each of them severally, her true and lawful attorney, for her and in
her name, place and stead, and in her office and capacity as aforesaid, to sign
and file said Form 10-K and any amendments thereto, and any and all other
documents to be signed and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in
connection therewith, hereby granting to Morgan K. O'Brien, Frosina C. Cordisco
and Stevan R. Schott, and each of them severally, full power and authority to do
and perform each and every act as fully, to all intents and purposes, as she
might or could do if personally present, hereby ratifying and confirming in all
respects all that Morgan K. O'Brien, Frosina C. Cordisco and Stevan R. Schott,
and each of them severally, may or shall lawfully do or cause to be done by
virtue hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has set her hand and seal as of
February 28, 2002.


                                                    /s/ Doreen E. Boyce
                                                    ----------------------------
                                                    Doreen E. Boyce, Director
<PAGE>

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned, a Director of DQE,
Inc., which company proposes to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission
an Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2001,
pursuant to the provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,
has made, constituted and appointed and by these presents does hereby make,
constitute and appoint Morgan K. O'Brien, Frosina C. Cordisco and Stevan R.
Schott, and each of them severally, his true and lawful attorney, for him and in
his name, place and stead, and in his office and capacity as aforesaid, to sign
and file said Form 10-K and any amendments thereto, and any and all other
documents to be signed and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in
connection therewith, hereby granting to Morgan K. O'Brien, Frosina C. Cordisco
and Stevan R. Schott, and each of them severally, full power and authority to do
and perform each and every act as fully, to all intents and purposes, as he
might or could do if personally present, hereby ratifying and confirming in all
respects all that Morgan K. O'Brien, Frosina C. Cordisco and Stevan R. Schott,
and each of them severally, may or shall lawfully do or cause to be done by
virtue hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has set his hand and seal as of
February 28, 2002.


                                                    /s/ Robert P. Bozzone
                                                    ----------------------------
                                                    Robert P. Bozzone, Director
<PAGE>

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned, a Director of DQE,
Inc., which company proposes to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission
an Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2001,
pursuant to the provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,
has made, constituted and appointed and by these presents does hereby make,
constitute and appoint Morgan K. O'Brien, Frosina C. Cordisco and Stevan R.
Schott, and each of them severally, his true and lawful attorney, for him and in
his name, place and stead, and in his office and capacity as aforesaid, to sign
and file said Form 10-K and any amendments thereto, and any and all other
documents to be signed and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in
connection therewith, hereby granting to Morgan K. O'Brien, Frosina C. Cordisco
and Stevan R. Schott, and each of them severally, full power and authority to do
and perform each and every act as fully, to all intents and purposes, as he
might or could do if personally present, hereby ratifying and confirming in all
respects all that Morgan K. O'Brien, Frosina C. Cordisco and Stevan R. Schott,
and each of them severally, may or shall lawfully do or cause to be done by
virtue hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has set his hand and seal as of
February 28, 2002.


                                                    /s/ Sigo Falk
                                                    ----------------------------
                                                    Sigo Falk, Director
<PAGE>

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned, a Director of DQE,
Inc., which company proposes to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission
an Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2001,
pursuant to the provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,
has made, constituted and appointed and by these presents does hereby make,
constitute and appoint Morgan K. O'Brien, Frosina C. Cordisco and Stevan R.
Schott, and each of them severally, his true and lawful attorney, for him and in
his name, place and stead, and in his office and capacity as aforesaid, to sign
and file said Form 10-K and any amendments thereto, and any and all other
documents to be signed and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in
connection therewith, hereby granting to Morgan K. O'Brien, Frosina C. Cordisco
and Stevan R. Schott, and each of them severally, full power and authority to do
and perform each and every act as fully, to all intents and purposes, as he
might or could do if personally present, hereby ratifying and confirming in all
respects all that Morgan K. O'Brien, Frosina C. Cordisco and Stevan R. Schott,
and each of them severally, may or shall lawfully do or cause to be done by
virtue hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has set his hand and seal as of
February 28, 2002.


                                                    /s/ Steven S. Rogers
                                                    ----------------------------
                                                    Steven S. Rogers, Director
<PAGE>

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned, a Director of DQE,
Inc., which company proposes to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission
an Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2001,
pursuant to the provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,
has made, constituted and appointed and by these presents does hereby make,
constitute and appoint Morgan K. O'Brien, Frosina C. Cordisco and Stevan R.
Schott, and each of them severally, his true and lawful attorney, for him and in
his name, place and stead, and in his office and capacity as aforesaid, to sign
and file said Form 10-K and any amendments thereto, and any and all other
documents to be signed and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in
connection therewith, hereby granting to Morgan K. O'Brien, Frosina C. Cordisco
and Stevan R. Schott, and each of them severally, full power and authority to do
and perform each and every act as fully, to all intents and purposes, as he
might or could do if personally present, hereby ratifying and confirming in all
respects all that Morgan K. O'Brien, Frosina C. Cordisco and Stevan R. Schott,
and each of them severally, may or shall lawfully do or cause to be done by
virtue hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has set his hand and seal as of March
6, 2002.


                                                      /s/ Eric W. Springer
                                                      --------------------------
                                                      Eric W. Springer, Director