Piedmont Natural Gas helps customers prepare for higher heating bills this winter

Piedmont Natural Gas is providing its customers with tips, tools, and assistance programs to help customers prepare for higher winter bills driven by a global surge in the commodity cost of natural gas.

Piedmont Natural Gas, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, distributes natural gas to more than 1 million residential, commercial and industrial customers in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.  As a natural gas distributor, Piedmont purchases natural gas at the best possible price and then passes this cost directly to customers.

As of Nov. 1, the estimated monthly bill increase for the fuel cost and rate increase for the average residential customer in North Carolina will be approximately $11.34 per month or $136 per year, compared to rates in effect this summer. Customers in South Carolina can expect a similar increase of approximately $11.00 per month or $132 per year, compared to rates in effect this summer.

According to the American Gas Association (AGA), the increases are due a variety of factors.

“Natural gas market prices are higher due to the economic recovery from strong natural gas demand from last winter, along with slower than anticipated production this year,” said Richard Meyer, vice president of  energy markets, analysis and standards at the AGA. “However, the U.S. natural gas market remains well supplied and is prepared to serve customers throughout the winter.”

Piedmont said it aims to balance keeping rates low with the need to complete safety and infrastructure work that allows for the continued reliable delivery of natural gas to customers.

“We recognize we still are in challenging economic times, and rate increases, combined with approaching cold weather and higher natural gas prices, create additional hardships for some customers,” Sasha Weintraub, Piedmont Natural Gas senior vice president, said. “We are committed to helping our customers and are taking steps to protect our most vulnerable customers by suspending disconnections until March 2022, for customers who qualify, and reaching out proactively to make sure they know assistance is available.”

Piedmont said it offers several programs to help customers keep costs down, including the Equal Payment Program, which allows customers to pay a predictable, equal monthly amount to help avoid billing surprises.  The company is also reaching out to customers whose bills are past due with information about utility assistance administered by agencies in their state and local communities.  In addition, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) provides winter heating assistance to pay for gas, electric and other methods customers use to heat their homes.

Further, Piedmont recommends several low- to no-cost energy saving tips and projects, including sealing air ducts, installing smart thermostats, managing water heating, considering insulation, and conducting an energy audit to learn how to reduce energy usage.