Home Care In Piedmont, SC

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Piedmont Natural Gas has received approval from the North Carolina Utilities Commission and the Public Service Commission of South Carolina to reduce customer billing rates due to a decrease in the market cost of natural gas compared to last fall. The decrease will be reflected beginning with customers’ February 2023 bills.

This rate reduction translates to a savings of approximately $14 per month, or $170 per year, for the average North Carolina residential customer and approximately $10 per month, or $116 per year, for the average South Carolina residential customer. Because natural gas usage often is higher during the winter months, North Carolina customers may see as much as a $27 reduction each month for their winter bills. South Carolina customers may see as much as an $18 reduction each month for their winter bills.

“Piedmont is continually working to keep costs as low as possible for our customers,” said Sasha Weintraub, senior vice president and president of Piedmont Natural Gas. “We’re happy the downward trend in the cost of natural gas allows us to provide some relief during the winter months, when increased usage driven by colder temperatures often results in higher bills.”

Piedmont requests periodic rate adjustments to reflect fluctuations in the market price of the natural gas it purchases for its customers. By law, Piedmont does not mark up the cost of natural gas and must pass through the actual cost on a dollar-for-dollar basis to customers.

“Even with these cost reductions, we recognize there are customers who may continue to struggle with paying their bills, and we encourage customers to apply for assistance, enroll in our Equal Payment Plan and implement energy-saving tips to help take control of their natural gas bills,” added Weintraub.

Level out your bill with the Equal Payment Plan (EPP) program

This free service helps customers manage their budgets by eliminating high winter bills. The EPP program levels out a customer’s natural gas bills, allowing them to pay a predictable, equal monthly amount to help avoid billing surprises. Piedmont determines this payment by adding up a customer’s annual natural gas usage and then dividing it into the same payment amount each month. Learn more here.

Assistance for customers in need

Piedmont is reaching out to customers whose bills are past due through email and/or text with information about utility assistance administered by agencies in their state and local communities.

Share the Warmth provides funds to local agencies to assist families with their utility bills, no matter the source of energy they use.

The Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) provides winter heating assistance to pay for natural gas, electric and other methods customers use to heat their homes. There are many customers who are eligible but do not apply for this annual federal benefit that can reduce winter heating costs for low-income families. Information on how to apply locally:

Piedmont says anyone in need should apply for this and other newly available programs to see if they qualify. For detailed federal and state-specific information, go to piedmontng.com/WinterBills and click on your state.

Energy-saving tools

Piedmont Natural Gas also offers a variety of energy-saving tools to help customers and our communities identify ways to save money and energy all year long. These programs and tools help customers understand what factors are impacting their natural gas bills and emphasize specific actions they can take to reduce the impacts of high winter usage.

Eight low- to no-cost energy-saving tips and projects

Natural gas use typically spikes in the winter as customers combat low temperatures to stay warm. Below are tips to help manage your energy use when temperatures decline. B-roll of energy efficiency measures is available here.

Piedmont Natural Gas, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, distributes natural gas to more than 1.1 million residential, commercial, industrial and power generation customers in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Piedmont Natural Gas earned the No. 1 spot in customer satisfaction with residential natural gas service in the South among large utilities, according to the J.D. Power 2022 U.S. Gas Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study, and has been named by Cogent Reports as one of the most trusted utility brands in the U.S. More information: piedmontng.com. Follow Piedmont Natural Gas: Twitter, Facebook.

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America’s largest energy holding companies. Its electric utilities serve 8.2 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 50,000 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas unit serves 1.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The company employs 28,000 people.

Duke Energy is executing an aggressive clean energy transition to achieve its goals of net-zero methane emissions from its natural gas business by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions from electricity generation by 2050. The company has interim carbon emission targets of at least 50% reduction from electric generation by 2030, 50% for Scope 2 and certain Scope 3 upstream and downstream emissions by 2035, and 80% from electric generation by 2040. In addition, the company is investing in major electric grid enhancements and energy storage, and exploring zero-emission power generation technologies such as hydrogen and advanced nuclear.

Duke Energy was named to Fortune’s 2022 “World’s Most Admired Companies” list and Forbes’ “World’s Best Employers” list. More information is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos and videos. Duke Energy’s illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Media contact: Jason Wheatley Media line: 877.348.3612 [email protected]

###

GREENVILLE, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - Nissin Foods is expanding its U.S. footprint by establishing new operations in Greenville County. The company, known for producing popular instant ramen products, has announced a planned $228 million investment that will create over 300 new jobs.

“Nissin Foods has seen sustained sales growth year-over-year, especially over the last five years, driven by unprecedented demand for our products,” said Nissin Foods President and CEO Michael Price. “As we developed the company’s expansion plans, we determined early on that Greenville, South Carolina was the ideal location for our newest manufacturing facility.”

Nissin plans to purchase a 640,640-square-foot building located at 1170 Bracken Road in Piedmont for its new Greenville County manufacturing facility; and also has existing manufacturing facilities in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and Gardena, California.

“Greenville is among the fastest growing manufacturing cities in the country, and many other top brands are produced there,” added Price. “In addition to being a significant milestone in Nissin’s history, this investment will allow us to optimize production capabilities, grow the organization, bring jobs to the community and continue to fortify our innovation pipeline.”

The Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved job development credits related to this project. The council also awarded a $250,000 Set-Aside grant to Greenville County to assist with the cost of building improvements. The new Greenville County operation is expected to help the company enhance continued product development and innovation while meeting the surging consumer demand.

“Congratulations to Nissin Foods and Greenville County on bringing over 300 new jobs to South Carolina,” said South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster. “This collaboration provides additional opportunities for Nissin Foods to serve its worldwide customer base while contributing to the Greenville community.”

Operations are expected to be online in August 2025. Individuals interested in joining the Nissin Foods team should visit the company’s careers page.

MORE NEWS: Instant ramen Cup Noodles will be microwaveable, changing from foam to paper cup

Copyright 2023 WHNS. All rights reserved.

SOUTH CAROLINA — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will invest more than $48.6 million this year through the Joint Chiefs’ Landscape Restoration Partnership for projects that mitigate wildfire risk, improve water quality, restore forest ecosystems and ultimately contribute to USDA’s efforts to combat climate change.

The USDA is investing $17.4 million in 14 new projects. One of which is in on South Carolina’s Sumter National Forest and surrounding public and private lands in 10 Piedmont counties through the South Carolina Piedmont Watershed Restoration Project.

The Joint Chiefs’ Landscape Restoration Partnership enables the Forest Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to collaborate with agricultural producers and forest landowners to invest in conservation and restoration at a large enough scale to make a difference. Working in partnership, and at this scale, helps reduce wildfire threats to communities and critical infrastructure, protect water quality and supply, and improve wildlife habitat for at-risk species.

Congress recently recognized the value of this important USDA program by memorializing it in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law signed by President Joe Biden on Nov. 15, 2021. The law includes enhanced collaboration and public engagement associated with future projects.

“These Joint Chiefs’ projects are excellent examples of how federal, state and local agencies can use targeted funding to achieve results that meet conservation goals, help at-risk species, build drought resiliency, and mitigate climate change,” said NRCS State Conservationist Ann English. “Through collaboration and strategic investments in local communities, we continue to work with the Forest Service to respond to significant conservation needs on private and public lands.”

The Forest Service and NRCS will invest in watershed restoration efforts in these South Carolina Piedmont counties: Abbeville, Chester, Edgefield, Fairfield, Laurens, Greenwood, McCormick, Newberry, Saluda and Union.

The South Carolina Piedmont Watershed Restoration Project will focus on improving watershed health, water quality and flood resilience in these counties that have been heavily impacted by historic agricultural and forestry land-use practices. By improving stream and riparian conditions and providing for aquatic connectivity and streambank stabilization, this project will benefit aquatic and riparian wildlife species as well as downstream communities. This project will also reduce sedimentation and other water quality issues within the watershed by supporting improved forest management practices which will increase water quality within the streams and rivers.

“This Joint Chiefs’ project will improve water quality and habitat across 10 rural counties in the South Carolina Piedmont,” said JaSal Morris, forest supervisor for the Francis Marion and Sumter National Forests. “This group effort of local, state and federal partners working together will benefit all South Carolina citizens with improved water quality and the conservation of important natural resources for future generations.”

Besides providing cleaner streams and rivers in the Piedmont, the project will benefit many native fish and wildlife species including 46 species of fish, freshwater mussels and crayfish that are listed as a priority by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources in the South Carolina Wildlife Action Plan. Partners in the Piedmont watershed restoration project include all 10 counties, Clemson University, Dominion Energy, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the State of South Carolina, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Trout Unlimited, American Rivers and many local riverkeepers and land conservation groups across the state.

The USDA has invested more than $286 million in 110 projects over eight years in Joint Chiefs’ Landscape Restoration Partnership projects, which focus on areas where public forests and grasslands intersect with privately-owned lands. Since 2014, these projects have delivered important forest and rangeland funding to 42 states and Puerto Rico.

Agricultural producers and forest managers interested in participating in Joint Chiefs’ or other USDA conservation programs should contact their local USDA Service Center.

Aug 8 (Reuters) - Piedmont Lithium (PLL.O), opens new tab on Tuesday drew skepticism and anger at a meeting with local North Carolina officials about its plans for a lithium mine that could supply the electric vehicle battery metal to Tesla (TSLA.O), opens new tab.

Shares fell more than 3% on Wednesday, the first trading session after the meeting.

The open-pit mine, if approved, would be one of the few lithium-producing sites in the United States, but there has been little progress in gaining approvals for the project, which the company has been trying to get up and running since 2018.

At the public meeting with the Gaston County Board of Commissioners, which controls zoning changes, officials were irked that Piedmont CEO Keith Phillips did not attend and expressed concern that the 500-foot-deep (152 m) mine could cause wells in the area, which many residents rely on, to run dry.

"I don't want to see any of our citizens ever be put in that position," Commissioner Allen Fraley said at the meeting, which was webcast. "How would you like to wake up one morning and your well's dry?"

Piedmont said it would be open to helping its neighbors in those situations dig deeper wells or connect to municipal water supplies.

Piedmont said Phillips did not attend because its technical experts did instead. The company brought staff focused on environmental and legal issues, as well as experts on blasting, water and other technical areas. The informational meeting was a follow-up to a similar one held in 2021.

The project, which has divided the county of roughly 230,000 just west of Charlotte, underscores broader tension in the U.S. as those who are resistant to living near a mine clash with those who believe the United States must lessen its dependence on China for lithium and other strategic minerals to cope with climate change.

Piedmont first signed a deal to supply lithium to Tesla in 2020 from North Carolina. That deal was paused before being renegotiated in January after Piedmont found a temporary source for the metal from a Quebec lithium mine in which it has an investment. Piedmont's access to that Quebec supply is expected to end by 2026.

In Gaston County, Piedmont will need the board to approve a zoning variance before it can build the project. The board has said it will not consider such a change until the company receives a state mining permit. Piedmont has been seeking a permit for nearly two years.

Piedmont officials said they would aim to not discharge processed water into local waterways. They added that Piedmont was also open to funding a mine reclamation bond "much larger" than the $1 million required by state regulations, though they did not provide a specific amount.

Multiple residents spoke against the proposed mine at the meeting. None spoke for it.

Piedmont said it thought the meeting went well. "Our goal was to answer questions and open a dialogue," said spokesperson Erin Sanders.

Brown, who has been a commissioner since 2010 and is a candidate for North Carolina secretary of state, described the meeting as a "mixed bag."

"I want to be pro-economic development," Brown said. "But I'm worried about the environmental impact of the mine and the economic impact after it closes."

Reporting by Ernest Scheyder; Editing by Edwina Gibbs and David Gregorio

Powdersville businessman Steve Crowe and Easley, Pickens and Powdersville YMCA President Sid Collins didn’t know what to expect when they were called to a meeting with longtime Piedmont community leader Jimmy Wilson. But when the meeting was over, the Y was the proud new owner of an antique tractor collection considered to be one of the best in the country.

“Jimmy gave me a call and asked me to get Sid and come visit. We chatted for a while then all of a sudden Jimmy said, ‘I’ve got something on my mind that I want to do. I want to give my tractor collection to the Y,’” recalled Crowe, owner of Foothills Motorsports in Powdersville and a longtime YMCA advocate. “I knew what the tractor collection was because I had seen it many times. It was quite a shock to be honest.”

Valued at more than $500,000, Wilson’s collection includes a Hart Parr 30, an IHC 8-16 Junior Kerosene, an International Harvester Titan 10- 20, a Case 18-32, more than 50 John Deere tractors and several other unique brands. The tractors, some of which date back to 1919, have been restored to their original working condition.

“You get different gifts from time to time, but this is definitely one of a kind and just an amazing testament to Mr. Wilson,” said Leebo Keels, branch executive of the Powdersville YMCA.

The YMCA, in partnership with Aumann Auctions of Illinois, will host an auction of the The Jimmy Wilson Collection on Sat., Oct. 9, beginning at 10 a.m., with a preview event scheduled on Fri., Oct. 8, from 2 p.m. until 7 p.m. Proceeds from the auction will help fund a future Child Development and Training Center in the Powdersville and Wren communities.

For Wilson, a lifelong resident of Piedmont who spent 25 years acquiring the vintage tractors, the donation will ensure that proceeds from the sale of his collection will stay in the local community.

“I knew at some point in time the collection would be sold, and the Y is probably one of the best things that has ever happened to our community,” Wilson said. “It serves Piedmont and Powdersville and anybody can go. I just wanted the money to stay in the area, and really that’s kind of where the Lord led me to leave it.”

The public is invited to attend the Oct. 9 auction at 300 Shiloh Road in Piedmont, SC. Bidding has already begun online, with online and in-person bidding taking place at the event, according to Crowe.

“Most of the time at an auction like this, 60 to 70 percent of the buying will probably be done over the internet, but we’re expecting several hundred people to be here at the auction,” Crowe said. ”We will have people here from all over the country and a lot of these tractors will probably go out of the country because there is a lot of international interest in antique tractors.”

YMCA officials say that auction proceeds will begin the effort to make the Powdersville Child Development and Training Center a reality. Construction costs are estimated at $1.5 million to $2 million, however a location has not been identified.

The center will offer primary childcare for infants through 4K, help train family caregivers in the community who are serving as primary caregivers, and provide support services to expecting and new mothers.

“It’s just so unbelievable and amazing that (Mr. Wilson’s) generosity and passion for this community is now benefiting the Y,” Keels said. “He cares a lot about the Y, but he cares more about this community and it’s amazing that he wants these funds to stay in the community.”

Go HERE to view the Jimmy Wilson Collection benefiting the YMCA of Powdersville.

Want to attend?

What: The Jimmy Wilson Collection Benefiting the YMCA of Powdersville

When: Sat., Oct. 9, 10 a.m.; Preview Event on Fri., Oct. 8, 2 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Where: 300 Shiloh Road, Piedmont SC 29673

For more information on the YMCA of Easley, Pickens and Powdersville, go HERE.