Oct. 7--Residential customers in the Carolinas could save $15 to $25 a month in heating costs this winter, Piedmont Natural Gas said this week.

In its annual forecast, Piedmont said it expects overall heating costs to be 10 percent to 20 percent less than last winter.

The forecast is based on price projections for the winter and assumes that temperatures will stay in the normal range. That's what federal forecasters predict for the Southeast through December.

If temperatures plunge lower than normal, as they did last year in the Charlotte area, bills would rise.

Nationally, an expected milder winter, along with lower fuel costs, should cut average residential heating expenditures by 8 percent from last year, the Energy Information Administration said in its annual winter outlook Tuesday.

The nearly 58 million households that use natural gas stand to save about $105 compared with last year, and propane users will get an even bigger break -- as much as $280. More modest reductions, $20 to $60, are expected for people who use electricity or fuel oil to heat their homes.

The federal agency, which keeps track of energy statistics and trends, cautioned that its projections are overall averages based on broadly expected weather conditions and fuel supply and cost trends. How much a family actually spends also will depend on local weather, the size and energy efficiency of their home and the efficiency of furnaces and other heating equipment.

But generally the news is good for consumers already hammered by the economic downturn and possibly worried about keeping jobs.

Natural gas prices have been on the decline because of a drop in demand caused by the sliding economy and because of hefty supplies. The EIA expects a record high of more than 3.8 trillion cubic feet of gas in storage by the end of this month.

The wholesale price of natural gas has been around $3 per thousand cubic feet, roughly half of what it was a year ago.

In the Carolinas, Piedmont donated $100,000 in July to launch its Share the Warmth Round Up program, which helps low-income families.

Piedmont customers who sign up would have their monthly natural gas bills rounded up to the nearest dollar. The rounded amount goes to emergency assistance agencies in Piedmont's Carolinas and Tennessee service area. To enroll, go to www.piedmontng.com.

The Associated Press contributed

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