Piedmont Natural Gas announced on Apr. 1 that it has filed an application with the Public Service Commission of South Carolina seeking to update its billing rates through a general rate case proceeding.
The proposed changes are significant for Piedmont’s approximately 170,000 customers in Anderson, Spartanburg, Greenville, and Cherokee counties. The company said the new rates would allow it to recover recent utility capital investments and address increased costs since its last rate case in 2022.
If regulators approve the request, Piedmont expects the new rates to take effect Oct. 1, with a typical residential customer paying about $7.67 more per month or $92 more per year on average. The overall revenue increase requested is 6.3%. At the same time, Piedmont is asking for reductions in pass-through natural gas costs to help offset some of the impact on customer bills.
Emily Henson, president of Piedmont Natural Gas, said: “Piedmont works to keep costs as low as possible while safely and reliably serving our customers.” She continued: “Raising rates is a decision we never make lightly, and we know any increase may be challenging to some customers.” Henson also stated: “Piedmont remains focused on helping our customers manage their bills and energy usage. We offer a variety of options, including our Equal Payment Plan program, payment assistance programs, and energy-saving tips and tools.”
To help manage higher bills or unexpected charges, Piedmont offers an Equal Payment Plan (EPP) program that averages annual natural gas usage into equal monthly payments. Customers can also access assistance programs such as Share the Warmth—which provides funds through local agencies—and the Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP). More information about these programs is available at piedmontng.com/AssistancePrograms.
Looking ahead, Piedmont emphasized its commitment to providing reliable service while supporting customers through various tools designed to save money and energy throughout the year.
