Duke Energy and Piedmont Natural Gas have announced that they are adding more steps to help customers experiencing payment challenges as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Both companies announced the suspension of key credit processes shortly after the pandemic began.
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This included disconnections for non-payment, late payment fees, as well as fees for credit card and other forms of payment.
The firms are committed to providing enhanced customer care and expanded assistance options to customers.
Duke Energy senior vice-president and chief customer officer Barbara Higgins said: “We were proud to give our customers peace of mind that their electric and natural gas services would remain on as pandemic conditions left many families without incomes.
“Now, we want to help customers prepare as states contemplate fully reopening their economies.”
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By GlobalDataDuke Energy noted that the company also donated $6m towards Covid-19 relief efforts in the US states of Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, Kentucky, South Carolina, Indiana, and Tennessee.
Higgins added: “The financial impacts from this pandemic are far from over. We will be following the states’ lead for when we resume options, and while the timelines may be different, our commitment to customers and the solutions-focused care we offer will be abundant and consistent.
“We encourage customers who are, understandably, behind in their payments, to take advantage of these resources now and to continue paying what they can to avoid large bill balances that may be difficult to manage later.”
In October 2016, Duke Energy completed its acquisition of Piedmont Natural Gas for $4.9bn. Piedmont retained its name and started operating as a business unit of Duke Energy.
The agreement to acquire Piedmont Natural Gas was initially signed in October 2015.
