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Piedmont Natural Gas CEO Expresses Support for Energy Efficiency and Carbon Reduction Measures But Says Current Legislation Needs Work

Posted on: Wednesday, 22 April 2009, 11:56 CDT

Piedmont CEO and current American Gas Association Chairman Thomas E. Skains says legislation should focus more on results and seek greater input from affected parties in testimony before Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee

CHARLOTTE, N.C., April 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- In testimony before a Senate committee today, Thomas E. Skains, Chairman, President and CEO of Piedmont Natural Gas (NYSE: PNY) and the 2009 Chairman of the American Gas Association (AGA) indicated broad industry support for energy efficiency and carbon reduction goals but said that the Energy Efficiency Resource Standard (EERS) included in S. 548 and other impending energy bills, needs additional input and work.

"While EERS seeks to achieve a laudable goal, its mechanism is flawed. With a focus on huge after-the-fact penalties rather than incentives, the mechanism is tied to consumer behavior which the utility can neither control nor dictate. Without question, there are many actions that natural gas utilities can take -- and do take -- to encourage energy efficiency. But they cannot unilaterally adjust customers' thermostats, close windows, or install additional insulation and new appliances in their homes."

Noting the natural gas industry's track record around energy efficiency and carbon reduction, Mr. Skains commented further, "AGA members strongly support reducing the Nation's energy and carbon intensity. In fact, natural gas utilities and their customers are leaders in these areas. Since 1970, the number of residential natural gas customers has increased from 38 million to more than 65 million, but their energy consumption and carbon emissions have remained flat." Such progress, Mr. Skains indicated, is the result of more efficient appliances, tighter homes and energy efficiency measures, many of which were implemented by natural gas utilities.

Mr. Skains went on to say that the direct use of natural gas in homes or businesses could help America reduce overall energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions and could be done in the near term with existing technology and at a relatively low cost.

Mr. Skains concluded his testimony by saying, "AGA and its members have a history of embracing innovative solutions to promote energy efficiency and the increased use of the cleanest fossil fuel on earth -- natural gas. In this case, however, we believe the EERS concept needs more thought, and we look forward to working with the committee to provide additional input."

About Piedmont Natural Gas

Piedmont Natural Gas is an energy services company primarily engaged in the distribution of natural gas to more than 1 million residential, commercial and industrial utility customers in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, including 62,000 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 www.piedmontng.com.

SOURCE Piedmont Natural Gas

Source: PR Newswire

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