Piedmont Natural Gas urges customers to save time and money by keeping their service on during summer months

- Staying connected helps customers avoid reconnection fees and potential wait times for service when colder weather hits

- Customers who keep their connection on throughout the year can participate in Piedmont's Equal Payment Plan

News provided by

Piedmont Natural Gas

Apr 18, 2019, 10:14 ET

CHARLOTTE, N.C., April 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- As temperatures begin to climb, many customers who have Piedmont Natural Gas service solely for heating sometimes choose to disconnect their service for the summer months. Piedmont encourages those customers to keep their service on year-round, a decision that could save them time and money.

When customers disconnect their service during warmer weather, they are subject to reconnection fees in the fall, which often amount to more than they save by stopping service.

Additionally, appointments to start or restart service include a mandatory equipment inspection that requires a resident to be home, which can necessitate customers taking time away from work or other commitments. Also, the increase in service calls once temperatures drop can lead to longer wait times for available appointments.

"We understand how inconvenient it can be to find yourself without heat during cold weather," said Sasha Weintraub, senior vice president & chief commercial officer, natural gas. "By keeping your service on year-round, you'll generally save money and always be ready when that first unexpected cold snap hits."

Customers who leave their service on all year long also are eligible for Piedmont's Equal Payment Plan. Under this plan, customers pay the same amount each month, resulting in lower bills during the winter.

"Equal Payment Plan is a real benefit for our customers," Weintraub said. "By spreading their Piedmont payments out evenly during the entire year, it can help them avoid the surprise of higher bills during colder months."

For more information on Piedmont's Equal Payment Plan, as well as other payment and billing options, visit piedmontng.com/payment.

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 125 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of the largest energy holding companies in the U.S. It employs 30,000 people and has an electric generating capacity of 51,000 megawatts through its regulated utilities, and 3,000 megawatts through its nonregulated Duke Energy Renewables unit.

Duke Energy is transforming its customers' experience, modernizing the energy grid, generating cleaner energy and expanding natural gas infrastructure to create a smarter energy future for the people and communities it serves.

Duke Energy was named to Fortune's 2019 "World's Most Admired Companies" list, and Forbes' 2019 "America's Best Employers" list. More information about the company is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos, videos and other materials. 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
Office: 704.731.4034 I 24-hour: 877.348.3612
[email protected]

SOURCE Piedmont Natural Gas