In December, PNG requested and received approval to reduce its sales rates for customers in both states effective January 1 as a result of declining wholesale natural gas costs which Piedmont passes through to customers on a dollar for dollar basis.
Friday’s filings before both the Public Service Commission of South Carolina and the North Carolina Utilities Commission reflect additional declines in the company's wholesale natural gas costs.
If approved by the respective commissions, the new rates would go into effect on Feb. 1 with residential customers seeing a reduction of about 3 percent from January rates and about 8 percent since the start of the winter period. The average residential customer in the Carolinas would save $10 to $15 over the remaining winter months of February and March.