Piedmont Natural Gas bills to decrease for customers in the Carolinas
October 21, 2019
Recent increase in S.C. to be substantially lowered
Piedmont Natural Gas has filed requests with the utility commissions in North Carolina and South Carolina to decrease natural gas costs for customers in the two states.
Reducing the commodity charge for natural gas will more than offset a rate increase Piedmont recently requested to recover costs related to system growth, pipeline integrity management, infrastructure investments, and safety and security upgrades.
In South Carolina, the requested decrease in the commodity price reduces by more than half a recent rate increase approved by the Public Service Commission of South Carolina. The approximate effect of this change on an average residential customer’s bill is a net rate increase of 41 cents per dekatherm, a yearly increase of about $23.
Piedmont’s bill has multiple rate components, one of which is the benchmark, or commodity, cost of natural gas. The requested decrease in the benchmark cost of natural gas from $2.75 per dekatherm to $2.25 per dekatherm in both states is expected to be effective in November 2019. Piedmont requests occasional benchmark rate adjustments to reflect changes in the commodity cost of natural gas because, by law, Piedmont must pass through to customers the actual commodity cost on a dollar-for-dollar basis.
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.
