Piedmont Natural Gas customers in the Charlotte area are protesting unusually high winter heating bills, with some reporting charges hundreds of dollars above typical amounts despite vacant homes or consistent usage. Jack Miller, who moved out of a house he kept at 60 degrees to prevent freezing pipes, received a $500 January bill that left him questioning a gas leak. Miller compared it to a larger, occupied home's $330 bill, calling the discrepancy 'insane' and reporting the company to the Better Business Bureau.

Similar complaints emerged from residents like Madison Wolf ($600 bill) and Elizabeth Dancy ($700), who saw jumps from $400 and $400 respectively, despite unchanged habits. Piedmont Natural Gas attributes the increases to colder weather and higher gas prices, passing these costs directly to customers. However, customers like Miller remain skeptical, noting last year's milder winter had lower bills, and the company recently implemented a rate reduction and lower gas commodity costs.

The situation highlights customer frustration over unexpected expenses and questions about billing accuracy amid market fluctuations.