Piedmont Natural Gas connects customers to utility assistance; provides energy-saving tips

- Company continues proactively notifying customers of payment plans, other tools to help manage energy bills.

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Sep 02, 2021, 10:02 ET

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- With many customers across its three-state territory experiencing financial hardship and struggling to pay their energy bills, Piedmont Natural Gas continues to support customers, connect them with available assistance, and offer tools and programs – including flexible payment plans – to help manage their natural gas bills.

Assistance Programs
Piedmont is reaching out to customers who are past due through email and/or text with information about utility assistance administered by agencies in their local communities.

LIHEAP
This income-based program allows those earning below certain thresholds to qualify for federal energy bill assistance money through the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) program. The qualifying income thresholds are based on factors that include household income and the number of people living in a home. To learn how to qualify and apply for LIHEAP funds in your state, visit:

Emergency Rental Assistance Program/HOPE 2.0
Emergency Rental Assistance Program (HOPE 2.0) dollars are again available to help eligible customers pay past-due rent and utility bills dating back to March 13, 2020. Eligible applicants may receive up to 12 months of rent assistance, which may include up to nine months of past-due rent. The program also covers essential utilities, up to a maximum amount.

Complete details about the HOPE Program are available at:

North Carolina: Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA)/HOPE 2.0 program or 888.9ASK.HOPE
Tennessee: Metro Action Commission HOPE Application, 615.862.RENT or [email protected]

SC Stay Plus
SC Stay Plus is an emergency rental assistance program providing funds to help eligible residential renters pay up to 12 months of past-due rent and utility bills dating back to March 2020.

Homeowner Assistance Fund
The Homeowner Assistance Fund is a new federal program established for homeowners experiencing a financial hardship after Jan. 21, 2020, as a result of COVID-19. Funds will help prevent homeowner mortgage delinquencies, defaults, foreclosures and loss of utility service. Homeowners with an income equal to or less than 150% of the area median (average) income may be eligible. Please note that some states may not yet be accepting applications. Learn more:

North Carolina: Homeowner Assistance Fund
South Carolina: SC Mortgage Rescue Program
Tennessee: Tennessee Housing Development Agency – Help for Homeowners

Assistance Agency Funds
Some customers may also qualify for assistance from various government and nonprofit programs for utility bills and other household expenses. 211.org is a free service to help customers find local community agencies that can help meet a wide range of needs, including utility bills, housing, food and other essentials, child and elder care, medical expenses and health counseling. Customers can learn about agencies that serve their area by dialing 211 or visiting 211.org.

In addition, Piedmont customers can learn more about how community agencies can help by visiting our website. Piedmont's Share the Warmth Round Up program is an energy-assistance program designed to help low-income individuals and families pay their monthly energy bills – regardless of the energy source used in the home. More information on how to apply for assistance from Share the Warmth funds or on how to enroll to contribute to the program is available at piedmontng.com/ShareTheWarmth.

Other assistance for managing utility bills and energy usage

Equal Payment Plan
Piedmont's Equal Payment Plan lets customers pay one predictable amount every month to better manage their budget. The amount is periodically reviewed and adjusted. Learn more about the Equal Payment Plan here.

Payment Arrangements
Payment arrangements give customers more flexibility to pay a past-due balance over a longer period. Customers can request a few extra days or restructure the past-due balance into a monthly payment plan. Customers should contact Piedmont Natural Gas at 800.752.7504 to discuss options available to them.

Energy-Saving Tools
Piedmont offers energy-saving programs, tips and guidance to help you manage higher energy bills that can result from increased energy use at piedmontng.com/EnergySavingTools.

Piedmont Natural Gas
Piedmont Natural Gas, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, is an energy services company whose principal business is the distribution of natural gas to more than 1 million residential, commercial and industrial customers in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. The company also supplies natural gas to power plants. Piedmont is routinely recognized by J.D. Power for excellent customer satisfaction, and has been named by Cogent Reports as one of the most trusted utility brands in the U.S.

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America's largest energy holding companies. Its electric utilities serve 7.9 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 51,000 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas unit serves 1.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The company employs 27,500 people.

Duke Energy is executing an aggressive clean energy strategy to create a smarter energy future for its customers and communities – with goals of at least a 50 percent carbon reduction by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The company is a top U.S. renewable energy provider, on track to own or purchase 16,000 megawatts of renewable energy capacity by 2025. The company also is investing in major electric grid upgrades and expanded battery storage, and exploring zero-emitting power generation technologies such as hydrogen and advanced nuclear.

Duke Energy was named to Fortune's 2021 "World's Most Admired Companies" list and Forbes' "America's Best Employers" list. More information is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos and videos. Duke Energy's illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Media contact: Jason Wheatley
Phone: 877.348.3612
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Piedmont Natural Gas