NCNG also offers alternative payment arrangements for those unable to pay their bills when they are unusually high. Its Equal Payment Plan (EPP) also helps customers pay monthly amounts that are more predictable and uniform over a twelve-month period.
"This donation supports our company's core values, recognizing our responsibility to our customers and to the communities where our employees live and work: commented Terrence D. Davis, Vice President - Operations - East. "This donation strengthens our commitment to our local Department of Social Services partners, which provide for customers most in need of payment assistance."
Income criteria for energy assistance are determined by DSS and not by NCNG.
The company's donation comes at a time when customers are experiencing higher natural gas bills which are attributable to cold weather and higher wholesale gas prices.
"We consider higher natural gas prices an enemy to our company," said Davis. "Higher prices reduce retail demand for gas, increase our costs and challenge our efforts to maintain good customer relations. We will continue to advocate industry solutions to protect the interests of our customers."
An important but misunderstood fact is that NCNG does not make more money or profit from higher gas prices, said Davis. Wholesale gas costs paid by NCNG are passed through to customers on a dollar-for-dollar basis without any markup.
"We support the enactment of a national energy policy that allows industry access to and delivery of our abundant domestic natural gas resources to meet the growth in market demand," Davis said. "The development and delivery of additional domestic supplies could help reduce natural gas prices and our monthly bills to our customers."
"More information about the issue can be found at NCNG's web site, www.ncng.com including information about the company's efforts to hold down costs," he added.
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