Piedmont Natural Gas Announces Payment Assistance for Customers Impacted by Hurricane Irene

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Aug. 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Piedmont Natural Gas (NYSE: PNY) today announced it will offer the following assistance for customers whose service has been negatively impacted by Hurricane Irene:

• Piedmont will not disconnect any customer for non-payment of their natural gas bill and will not apply late payment penalties to customers for delayed payments

• Piedmont will waive the handling fees for customers whose payment by Automatic Bank Draft is returned for "insufficient funds"

• Piedmont will not remove any customer participating in the Equal Payment Plan for "insufficient funds" (EPP allows customers to spread their payments over a full 12 months, reducing the amount due each month)

• Customers having difficulty paying their bill should call Piedmont Natural Gas to discuss available options

The special assistance will remain in place through the end of September, 2011.  Customers are asked to call 1-800-752-7504 for more information. Specific qualifications apply.

Safety information and tips concerning natural gas appliance

With many of its customers in North Carolina feeling the impact of Hurricane Irene, Piedmont shares the following safety information related to natural gas service and natural gas appliances:

Wind-related damage:

• If you see or suspect damage to natural gas lines or facilities due to uprooted trees or wind-related damage, call 911 or Piedmont Natural Gas at 1-800-752-7504

Call 811 before you dig:

• Call 811 to have your natural gas lines located and marked (for free) before you remove uprooted trees, rebuild storm-damaged structures or dig anywhere on your property

If water has entered your home:

• Do not attempt to disconnect or work on or around your natural gas meter
• Do not attempt to relight any of your natural gas appliances. Call Piedmont at 1-800-752-7504 so we can inspect your meter and your natural gas appliances for possible damage
• Do not attempt to clear flood debris from your natural gas meter or from any other natural gas appliance, including your water heater. Call Piedmont for an assessment
• Never use outdoor equipment indoors for cooking or heating. This includes natural gas grills, generators, etc.

If your natural gas appliances are damaged by water:

• Natural gas appliances damaged by water may need to be replaced according to manufacturer guidelines and instructions
• When choosing a contractor for repair or replacement of your natural gas appliances, make sure the contractor is licensed, committed to safety and follows all manufacturer safety guidelines
• You can choose to work with Piedmont Natural Gas, one of our approved Gas Advantage Dealers, or any other licensed contractor to repair or replace damaged appliances
• For a list of Piedmont's Gas Advantage Dealers, go to www.piedmontng.com and click on "Hurricane Irene Watch"
• Note that unauthorized repairs can be unsafe and may void your warranty according to manufacturer guidelines
• Call your appliance manufacturer if you are unsure that the work being performed is an approved repair

If your home was not damaged by flooding, but your natural gas service was interrupted, call Piedmont Natural Gas to schedule an appointment.

If you suspect a natural gas leak (natural gas smells like rotten eggs):

• Leave the premises immediately
• Call Piedmont Natural Gas at 1-800-752-7504 or dial 911
• Do not use your home phone
• Call Piedmont from a neighbor's home
• Use a cell phone only if you are outside the home and away from the smell of natural gas
• Do not use anything electrical inside your home that may cause a spark (this includes all appliances and cell phones)
• Do not attempt to locate the source of the leak
• Do not attempt to stop the leak
• Do not attempt to turn off your natural gas

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. More information about Piedmont Natural Gas is available at http://www.piedmontng.com.

SOURCE Piedmont Natural Gas