CHARLOTTE, N.C., March 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Piedmont
Natural Gas today implemented additional steps to protect customers
and employees in the communities it serves during the COVID-19
pandemic.
The actions taken by the company include:
- Piedmont Natural Gas will not disconnect any customer's service
for non-payment, to give customers experiencing financial hardship
extra time to make payments. This applies to all home and business
accounts in North Carolina,
South Carolina and Tennessee. The company will continue to read
meters and send bills; customers should pay what they can to avoid
building up a large balance that will be harder to pay off
later.
- Through a carefully planned and strategically implemented
process, Piedmont has directed
most employees – who are not involved in the distribution of
natural gas – to work from home, where possible.
- Piedmont technicians will
continue to perform emergency repairs and other essential work on
customers' property. Technicians will maintain a distance of at
least 6 feet from customers, avoid handshaking, and follow best
hygiene practices in accordance with guidelines by the CDC (Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention).
- Piedmont is urging customers
to use online tools for billing and payment or to request
to start, stop or move service. Customers with special
circumstances can call customer service at 800.752.7504.
Staffing for Piedmont's natural
gas distribution facilities has been reduced; however, this will
not affect the reliable delivery of natural gas to customers. In
addition, the company's customer service call center operations
remain unaffected at this time.
We will continue to monitor the pandemic and respond
accordingly.
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 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 2020 "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 line: 877.348.3612
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SOURCE Duke Energy