Piedmont Natural Gas is advising customers in the Southeast to prepare for colder-than-normal temperatures expected next week by using available programs and energy-saving tips to help manage their seasonal energy bills.
The company offers several online tools to help customers monitor and reduce their natural gas usage. Customers can review their monthly gas usage history, use the Energy Advisor tool to assess home efficiency, and estimate annual costs with calculators for water heating, cooking, and clothes drying. A video explaining the factors affecting natural gas bills is also available on Piedmont’s website.
To save energy and money without sacrificing comfort, Piedmont recommends setting thermostats to the lowest comfortable setting, installing smart or programmable thermostats, taking advantage of sunlight during winter days, regularly changing air filters, setting water heater temperatures to 120 degrees Fahrenheit or considering tankless models, sealing cracks and openings in the home, ensuring air ducts are properly sealed, and adding insulation where needed.
Customers can opt into the Equal Payment Plan (EPP) program at no cost. This program allows participants to pay a consistent monthly amount by averaging their annual natural gas usage over twelve months. More information about EPP is available on Piedmont’s website.
For those needing financial assistance with utility bills, Piedmont offers the Share the Warmth program in partnership with local agencies. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is also available for eligible households. Customers are encouraged to apply for these and other assistance programs if they need support. Further details can be found at piedmontng.com/AssistancePrograms and state-specific resources are listed at piedmontng.com/WinterBills.
Piedmont Natural Gas serves more than 1.2 million customers across North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee as a subsidiary of Duke Energy.
“Piedmont says anyone in need can apply for this and other newly available programs to see if they qualify. For more information, go to piedmontng.com/AssistancePrograms. For detailed federal and state-specific information, go to piedmontng.com/WinterBills and click on your state.”
Media inquiries should be directed to Jason Wheatley at jason.wheatley@duke-energy.com or 877-348-3612.
