North Carolina

NCModerate

Days notice (electric)

Days notice (gas)

✓

Winter moratorium

✓

Medical exemption

What to do today

If you have a shutoff notice, the date on it is the one that matters. These steps work best in this order.

Call your utility before the date on your notice
Ask for a payment plan or a deferred payment arrangement. Most states require your utility to offer one, and asking before the date is what keeps your service on. The number is on your bill.
Apply for energy assistance
LIHEAP helps with utility bills and does not have to be paid back. Call the national referral line on 1-866-674-6327 weekdays 9am to 7pm Eastern, or visit energyhelp.us.
Dial 211 for local help
211 is free and connects you to local funds for utilities, rent and food. Some local agencies can pay a utility directly to stop a shutoff.
Ask about medical certification
North Carolina recognises medical protections. If anyone in your home has a serious illness or relies on powered medical equipment, a note from a doctor can delay a shutoff. Ask your utility for the form today, because it usually has to be back within days.
Contact the regulator if your utility will not work with you
ncuc.gov handles complaints against regulated utilities in North Carolina. Filing one can pause a disconnection while it is looked at.

Electric Gas Water Medical Low Income Regulator

Electric Shutoff Rules

Regulatory notice required10 days

Reconnection feeVaries by utility

Winter moratorium: November 1–March 31: utilities cannot disconnect service to households that include a person with a disability or someone age 65+, who are unable to pay under an installment plan, AND who are certified by a local social services agency as eligible for energy assistance. Not universal — requires specific household conditions plus social services certification.

Major Utilities

Duke Energy Carol…Duke Energy Progr…Dominion Energy N…

Duke Energy Carolinas

Western NC and Charlotte metro; includes Mecklenburg, Gaston, Lincoln, Catawba, Iredell, Rowan, Cabarrus, and surrounding Piedmont counties

10-day notice

Winter moratorium Nov 1–Mar 31: disconnection prohibited if household includes member age 65+ or handicapped, customer cannot pay under installment plan, and customer is certified by local DSS as eligible for energy assistance

Utilities must maintain medical list for households with seriously ill, handicapped, or life-support-dependent residents

NC NCUC Rule R12-11 requires minimum 10 days written notice before disconnection for nonpayment, plus utility must attempt telephone or in-person contact at least 24 hours before actual shutoff

No disconnections on Fridays, weekends, state or federal holidays, or the day before a holiday

Third-party notification available

Informal NCUC Public Staff appeal available

Payment installment plan available to bring account current within 6 months

A reconnection charge applies per Duke Energy Carolinas' NCUC-approved tariff, but no current NC-specific tariff sheet stating the dollar amount could be located this pass (Duke's rate pages are client-rendered and link to no readable PDF for this charge)

the previously listed $25/$75 figures were themselves noted as unverified since 2021 and have been removed rather than repeated unconfirmed

Assistance Programs

Share the Light Fund (one-time past-due bill assistance); Customer Assistance Program (CAP, monthly credit up to $42 for LIEAP/CIP-eligible customers); LIHEAP/LIEAP (via local DSS); Crisis Intervention Program (CIP); Disconnect Date Extension (1–2 extra weeks); payment installment plans

"04 NC Admin Code 11 R12-11 — Disconnection of Residential Customer's Electric Service." law.cornell.edu. Retrieved 19 May 2026.

Duke Energy Progress

Central and eastern NC; includes Wake, Johnston, Cumberland, Harnett, Sampson, Wayne, Wilson, Pitt, Edgecombe, Nash, Halifax, Vance, Granville, Chatham, Lee, Moore, Hoke, Scotland, Richmond, Montgomery, Stanly, and surrounding counties

10-day notice

winter moratorium Nov 1–Mar 31 for eligible elderly/disabled households

medical life-support list maintained

Identical NCUC protections as Duke Energy Carolinas (both are Duke Energy subsidiaries subject to 04 NCAC 11 R12-11)

Minimum 10 days written notice

24-hour personal contact before shutoff

no disconnection on Fridays, weekends, or state/federal holidays or day before

third-party notification available

informal NCUC Public Staff appeal available

Payment installment plan to bring account current within 6 months

A reconnection charge applies per Duke Energy Progress's NCUC-approved tariff, but no current NC-specific tariff sheet stating the dollar amount could be located this pass

The previously listed $25/$75 figures were themselves noted as unverified since 2021 and have been removed rather than repeated unconfirmed

Assistance Programs

Share the Light Fund; Customer Assistance Program (CAP); LIHEAP/LIEAP (via local DSS); Crisis Intervention Program (CIP); Disconnect Date Extension; payment installment plans

"04 NC Admin Code 11 R12-11 — Disconnection of Residential Customer's Electric Service." law.cornell.edu. Retrieved 19 May 2026.

Dominion Energy North Carolina (Electric)

Northeastern NC; approximately 120,000 electric customers in Washington, Martin, Pitt, Beaufort, and surrounding northeastern NC counties

10-day notice

winter moratorium Nov 1-Mar 31 for eligible elderly/disabled households

medical life-support certification available (form submitted to [email protected], requires annual physician renewal)

Subject to NCUC Rule R12-11: 10 days written notice

24-hour personal contact before shutoff

no disconnection on Fridays, weekends, state/federal holidays or day before

Payment plans: past-due balances spread over up to 6 months with 1% monthly late charge on remaining balance

Third-party notification available

The company's filed Terms and Conditions (Section XVII) set the reconnection service charge at $7.08 for residential customers with a communicating (AMI) meter and $34.49 for residential customers with a non-communicating digital meter

$38.52 for nonresidential customers

The row's previous source, Dominion's Start Service consumer page, does not state these figures

re-sourced to the filed tariff where they appear verbatim

Reconnection fee:$7.08 for customers with Smart Meter (AMI); $34.49 for customers without Smart Meter — added to next bill

Assistance Programs

EnergyShare Heating (program of last resort, no income restrictions, up to $600, Oct 1–May 31); LIEAP/LIHEAP via local DSS; Crisis Intervention Program (CIP); NC 2-1-1 resource referral; payment extensions; budget billing

"Dominion Energy North Carolina, Terms and Conditions, Section XVII (Reconnection of the Supply of Electricity), NCUC Docket No. E-22, Sub 694, effective 2025-02-01." dominionenergy.com. Retrieved 21 Sep 2026.

Gas Shutoff Rules

Regulatory notice required10 days

Reconnection feeVaries by utility

Major Utilities

Piedmont Natural …Enbridge Gas Nort…

Piedmont Natural Gas (Duke Energy)

Charlotte metro and numerous NC communities including Salisbury, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, High Point, Burlington, Hickory, Reidsville, Fayetteville, New Bern, Wilmington, Tarboro, Elizabeth City, Rockingham, Goldsboro; wholesale service to Greenville, Monroe, Rocky Mount, Wilson; approximately 1 million NC customers

10-day notice

winter protection Nov 1–Mar 31 for eligible elderly/disabled households unable to pay who are certified for energy assistance

Utilities must identify accounts with seriously ill, handicapped, or life-support-dependent residents

Subject to NCUC Rule R12-10: minimum 10 days written notice before termination for nonpayment

24-hour personal contact attempt before disconnection

no disconnection on Fridays, weekends, state/federal holidays or day before

Installment plan available to bring account current within 6 months with 1% monthly late charge on arrearage balance

Third-party notification available

Piedmont's NC Service Regulations confirm a Commission-approved reconnection fee applies but defer the dollar amount to a separate rate schedule that was not found with a current figure

the $90.95 previously shown here traces to 2017-2018 press releases and could not be confirmed as still current, so it has been removed rather than repeated unconfirmed

Assistance Programs

LIHEAP/LIEAP (via local DSS); Crisis Intervention Program (CIP); flexible payment plans (up to 6 months); Piedmont participates in NC energy assistance programs

"04 NC Admin Code 11 R12-10 — Disconnection of Residential Customer's Natural Gas Service." law.cornell.edu. Retrieved 19 May 2026.

Enbridge Gas North Carolina (formerly Dominion Energy / PSNC Energy)

Central and eastern NC Piedmont and coastal areas; approximately 600,000 customers including Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Gastonia, Asheville, Concord, High Point, Henderson, and surrounding communities; acquired from Dominion Energy September 30, 2024

10-day notice

winter moratorium Nov 1-Mar 31 for eligible elderly/disabled households

Subject to NCUC Rule R12-10 (same statewide natural gas disconnection rules), cited above: arrears must be paid within 10 days after the billing date to avoid disconnection

24-hour personal contact before shutoff

no disconnection on Fridays, weekends, state/federal holidays or the day before

Service and rates continue to be governed by NCUC post-acquisition

Payment plans available (equal monthly payments, up to 6 months, 1% monthly late charge)

Third-party notification available

The company's own Summary of Rates and Charges (https://www.enbridgegas.com/-/media/Extranet-Pages/north-carolina/rates-and-tariffs/summaries/currentratesummary.pdf) lists a Reconnection charge of $80.00 for residential customers during regular hours and $120.00 after 5 p.m., on weekends, or on holidays

reconnections exceeding one hour are billed at the indicated rates per additional hour

That rate summary is cited by name rather than as source_url because it doesn't state the notice period, which is what this row's verify.py flag was about

Reconnection fee:Reconnection fee applies, higher after regular hours/weekends/holidays; billed per additional hour if reconnection takes over an hour (see notes for current dollar amounts)

Assistance Programs

Heat Care Fund (Salvation Army partnership); WebPledge (organizations can make pledges on customer behalf); Budget Billing; LIEAP/LIHEAP (via local DSS); Crisis Intervention Program (CIP); payment arrangements and extensions

"04 N.C. Admin. Code 11 R12-10, Disconnection of Residential Customer's Natural Gas Service." law.cornell.edu. Retrieved 21 Sep 2026.

Water Shutoff Rules

Regulatory notice requiredNot regulated / varies

Major Utilities

Aqua North Caroli…Charlotte Water Durham Water Mana…

Aqua North Carolina

Approximately 323,000 people across 49–51 NC counties including Mecklenburg, New Hanover, Cumberland, Guilford, Forsyth, Buncombe, Wake, Durham, Johnston, Onslow, Pender, and many more

5-day notice

Medical delay: if attending physician contacts Aqua within 15 days of bill issuance and submits written statement within 20 days, disconnection can be delayed for residents who would become seriously ill

Subject to NCUC Chapter 7 water rules

Rule R7-20(c) requires at least 5 days' written notice (excluding Sundays and holidays), and the utility must first have diligently tried to induce the customer to comply before disconnecting

Rule R7-20(f) caps the reconnection fee at $15.00 unless the utility proves its actual and reasonable restoration cost is higher, in which case the fee may be set at no more than the proven cost

The $60.00 figure previously shown here, attributed to 'Aqua's August 2024 tariff,' actually comes from a document for Aqua Water Supply Corporation, an unrelated Texas water utility regulated by the Texas PUC

that $60 base reconnection fee belongs to that company, not Aqua North Carolina

No Aqua North Carolina-specific approved reconnection fee above the $15.00 statutory cap was found this pass, so the field is null rather than repeating a figure that belongs to a different company in a different state

Assistance Programs

Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP, federal); NC 2-1-1 resource referral; payment arrangements (877-987-2782)

"North Carolina Utilities Commission Rules, Chapter 7, Rule R7-20 (Water Companies, Utility's Discontinuance of Service)." ncuc.gov. Retrieved 21 Sep 2026.

Charlotte Water

City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County metro area (municipal utility)

Municipal utility, not directly regulated by NCUC

The FY25/FY26 rates comparison lists the Disconnect/Reconnect fee rising from $28.00 to $32.00 effective the FY26 rate year (July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026)

Specific notice-day count not found in public materials

Charlotte follows city ordinance procedures

Note: city had suspended late fees and disconnects through November 28, 2025 due to billing system transition

Reconnection fee:$32.00 (FY26, effective July 1, 2025–June 30, 2026)

Assistance Programs

Charlotte Water Cares program; Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP); Mecklenburg County DSS referrals; partnership with Crisis Assistance Ministries, DreamKey Partners, CommonWealth Charlotte; 3-1-1 for assistance resources

"Charlotte Water FY25 & FY26 Rates Comparison (Wayback Machine archive, captured 2026-01-13; charlottenc.gov blocks automated readers directly)." web.archive.org. Retrieved 21 Sep 2026.

Durham Water Management

City of Durham, NC (municipal utility)

Municipal utility

The city's Late Payment FAQ states there is no charge to disconnect water or sewer service for nonpayment, but a $50 penalty fee (water/sewer service charge) is added to the account at disconnection, on top of any other fees

Sewer-only physical disconnection requires a $250 charge

a Meter Extraction Fee of $75 applies to customers with a history of returned checks or unauthorized reconnection

City suspended disconnections and late fees through November 28, 2025 due to billing system transition

Payment due date, overdue thresholds, and payment-arrangement day counts described in earlier notes were not found on this page and are not restated here

Reconnection fee:$50 penalty fee at time of disconnection; deposit also required to reconnect (amount varies); sewer physical disconnection $250

Assistance Programs

Water Hardship Fund (application required); payment plans and arrangements; Durham One Call (919-560-1200); community resource referrals

"Durham NC - Late Payment FAQs / Disconnection for Nonpayment (Wayback Machine archive, captured 2025-03-20; durhamnc.gov blocks automated readers directly)." web.archive.org. Retrieved 21 Sep 2026.

Medical & Vulnerable Household Exemptions

Electric and gas companies must maintain a list of households with special medical needs (e.g., life support equipment). 24-hour re-contact required before actual disconnection. Medical conditions provide postponement protection.

Low-Income Protections

Duke Energy and Dominion Energy NC operate Customer Assistance programs. LIHEAP / LIEAP available through NC DHHS. NCUC requires payment plan options before disconnection.

Your State Regulator

File a complaint or get help from North Carolina's utility regulator →

Data last verified: 2026-09-21. Rules may change — verify with your state regulator.