Piedmont Natural Gas Lowers North Carolina Rates Again, Fifth Cut of 2026

Piedmont Natural Gas lowered rates for its North Carolina customers effective November 1, reducing the average residential bill by just under $12 per year, the company said in a PR Newswire announcement on November 4. The reduction is the fifth Piedmont has made in North Carolina in 2026.

Piedmont's Fifth North Carolina Rate Cut of 2026

The latest change follows rate reductions in January, February, April and June. Combined, the 2026 decreases are lowering average residential customers' bills by approximately 9%, or about $112, per year. Customers will begin to see the newest reduction in their November bills, with the full effect appearing in subsequent months.

All rate changes for North Carolina customers are reviewed and approved by the North Carolina Utilities Commission. Piedmont said it continues to manage costs and pass savings directly to customers.

"We know winter heating bills matter to our customers, especially at a time when many household costs remain high," said Emily Henson, president of Piedmont Natural Gas. "We're proud to be able to lower our North Carolina rates for the fifth time this year and help make the winter heating season a little easier on customers' wallets."

Piedmont also offers billing and assistance options, including an Equal Payment Plan that spreads natural gas costs in equal installments across the year and a Customer Assistance Program that provides a monthly bill credit to eligible income-qualified, active North Carolina residential customers from November to March.

Piedmont's Customer Base and Earlier 2026 Reductions

Piedmont Natural Gas, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, distributes natural gas to more than 1 million residential, commercial, industrial and power generation customers in North Carolina and South Carolina, according to the company. Company records show Piedmont distributes natural gas to over 1.2 million customers across North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, according to akta.pro company records. The same records show that Piedmont implemented multiple rate decreases for North Carolina residential customers in 2026 in January, February, April and June, cumulatively reducing average residential bills by approximately 8%, or $100 per year, with approval from the NC Utilities Commission.

Piedmont's Lead-Up to the Winter Heating Season

In October 2026, Piedmont reminded customers how to recognize and respond to suspected natural gas leaks as winter heating season began, Stock Titan reported. In August 2026, Piedmont reached an agreement, pending Public Service Commission of South Carolina approval, to lower pass-through natural gas costs for customers while recovering expenses from recent infrastructure upgrades, Third News reported. Also in August 2026, Duke Energy and Piedmont urged the public to call 811 before digging on National Safe Digging Day, citing nearly 4,500 reported damages to underground utility lines in the first half of 2026, PR Newswire reported.

What to Watch Next

Piedmont's agreement to lower pass-through natural gas costs in South Carolina remains pending approval from the Public Service Commission of South Carolina.