Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation Announces $200K in Assistance for Nashville Flood Relief Efforts

Grants include $100k in assistance for low-income individuals and families and $100k in grants for organizations involved in relief effort

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Piedmont Natural Gas

May 13, 2010, 01:02 ET

NASHVILLE, Tenn., May 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation announced today that it was making $200,000 in grant money available to assist those impacted by the recent flooding. Of that amount, $100,000 is being made available to low-income individuals and families for the replacement of natural gas appliances damaged by the recent flooding. The funds will be distributed through the Metro Action Commission and are an offshoot of Piedmont's Share the Warmth! program. Distribution of funds could begin as early as next week. Customers may contact Piedmont Natural Gas at 1-800-752-7504 for additional program details.

The Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation announced that the remaining $100,000 in grants would be made to the following organizations in support of their flood recovery and relief efforts throughout the middle Tennessee area:

$25,000 to the Red Cross
$25,000 to the Community Foundation
$25,000 to Hands on Nashville
$25,000 in additional grant money to various other organizations involved in the flood relief effort.

Commenting on the Foundation grants, Piedmont's Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer Thomas E. Skains said, "Through our Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation, we are awarding $200,000 in grants designed to provide much needed assistance to those most devastated by the impacts of the recent flooding in the Nashville community and to those organizations that are doing so much to provide aid and comfort to the flooding victims."

Piedmont Natural Gas Announces Special Financing Program for Qualifying Customers

In a separate announcement today, Piedmont Natural Gas (NYSE: PNY) announced that it was offering a special zero-percent financing program for qualifying Piedmont customers in the greater Nashville metropolitan area needing to replace their flood-damaged natural gas appliances such as water heaters, heating systems or other natural gas appliances. For additional program details and terms, customers should contact Piedmont Natural Gas at 1-800-752-7504.

About the Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation

The Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation was established in 2004 with initial funding of $7 million from Piedmont Natural Gas. The Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation assists qualified charitable agencies and organizations within Piedmont Natural Gas' three-state service area, through the awarding of grants. The Foundation's mission of, "Enriching Our Communities," mirrors Piedmont Natural Gas' strong philanthropic commitment to the communities it serves. The Foundation's grant making strategy further reflects that commitment by focusing on two areas: Environmental Stewardship and Energy Sustainability, and Community Enrichment Initiatives centered on Education, Workforce Development and Health and Human Services. Since its inception, the Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation has invested more than $4.5 million in grants to more than 600 organizations.

About Piedmont Natural Gas

Piedmont Natural Gas is an energy services company primarily engaged in the distribution of natural gas to more than one million residential, commercial and industrial utility customers in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, including 52,000 customers served by municipalities who are wholesale customers. Our subsidiaries are invested in joint venture, energy-related businesses, including unregulated retail natural gas marketing, interstate natural gas storage and intrastate natural gas transportation.

SOURCE Piedmont Natural Gas