U.S. Survey Ranks Piedmont Natural Gas a Top Utility Environmental Champion

A new survey of utility customers nationwide has named Piedmont Natural Gas a Top Utility Environmental Champion of 2017 for initiatives such as slashing emissions in its vehicle fleet and making its facilities more energy efficient.

This is the third consecutive year Piedmont has earned the designation, which is based on a study of nearly 58,000 customers among 130 of the nation’s largest residential gas and electric utility providers. Piedmont is one of 40 companies on the list released by Cogent Reports and Market Strategies International.

Cogent Reports conducted surveys among residential electric, natural gas and combination utility customers between the second quarter of 2016 and the first quarter of 2017, asking them to rate their utility company’s dedication to environmental stewardship.

“Environmental stewardship is a core value for Piedmont, and we are gratified to know that our customers are aware of and value the many ongoing initiatives Piedmont has undertaken to reduce our impact on our environment and help our customers do the same,” said Frank Yoho, head of gas operations for Piedmont Natural Gas, a subsidiary of Duke Energy.

Piedmont has taken a lead role in championing the use of cleaner, lower-cost CNG as a transportation fuel, resulting in a surge in CNG demand from trucks and other fleet vehicles. Piedmont is nearing completion of its 11^th public CNG refueling station, located near the junction of Interstate 40 and U.S. 321 in Hickory, North Carolina. The company has also converted about one-third of its own corporate fleet of approximately 900 vehicles to run on CNG.