PIEDMONT NATURAL GAS COMPANY, INC. COMMON STOCK, NO PAR VALUE UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

Exhibit 1.1

PIEDMONT NATURAL GAS COMPANY, INC.

COMMON STOCK, NO PAR VALUE

January 29, 2013

To the Managers named in Schedule I hereto

for the Underwriters named in Schedule II hereto

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Piedmont Natural Gas Company, Inc., a North Carolina corporation (the “Company”) and the Forward Counterparty (as defined below), at the request of the Company in connection with the Forward Sale Agreement (as defined below), confirm their respective agreements with you and each of the several underwriters named in Schedule II hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you are acting as managers (the “Managers”), with respect to (i) the issuance and sale by the Company and the purchase by the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the number of shares of common stock, no par value of the Company (“Common Stock”) set forth in Schedule II hereto under the heading “Number of Company Firm Shares To Be Purchased” (the “Company Firm Shares”), (ii) subject to Section 9 hereof, the sale by the Forward Counterparty and the purchase by the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the number of shares of Common Stock of the Company set forth in Schedule II hereto under the heading “Number of Borrowed Firm Shares To Be Purchased” (the “Borrowed Firm Shares”) and (iii) the grant by the Forward Counterparty or the Company, as applicable, to the Underwriters, in each case acting severally and not jointly, of the option described in Section 2 hereof to purchase all or any portion of the number of additional shares of Common Stock set forth in Schedule II hereto under the heading “Number of Additional Shares To Be Purchased” (the “Additional Shares”).

Any Additional Shares sold to the Underwriters by the Forward Counterparty pursuant to Section 2 hereof upon exercise of the option described in Section 2 hereof are herein referred to as the “Borrowed Additional Shares,” and any Additional Shares sold to the Underwriters by the Company pursuant to Section 2 hereof upon exercise of such option are herein referred to as the “Company Additional Shares.” The Borrowed Firm Shares, the Company Firm Shares and the Company Top-Up Firm Shares (as defined in Section 9 below) are herein referred to collectively as the “Firm Shares.” The Company Firm Shares, the Company Top-Up Firm Shares, the Company Additional Shares and the Company Top-Up Additional Shares (as defined in Section 9 below) are herein referred to collectively as the “Company Shares.” The Borrowed Firm Shares and the Borrowed Additional Shares are herein referred to collectively as the “Borrowed Shares.” The Firm Shares and the Additional Shares are hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Shares.” The shares of Common Stock to be outstanding after giving effect to the sales contemplated hereby are hereinafter referred to as the “Outstanding Stock.” If the firm or firms listed in Schedule II hereto include only the Managers listed in Schedule I hereto, then the terms “Underwriters” and “Managers” as used herein shall each be deemed to refer to such firm or firms.

As used herein, “Forward Sale Agreement” means the letter agreement dated the date hereof between the Company and ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. LLC (in such capacity, the “Forward Counterparty”) relating to the forward sale by the Company, subject to the Company’s right to elect Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement (as such terms are defined in the Forward Sale Agreement), of a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of Borrowed Firm Shares sold by the Forward Counterparty pursuant to this Underwriting Agreement (this “Agreement”), and the term “Additional Forward Sale Agreement” has the meaning set forth in Section 2 hereof.

The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement, including a prospectus (the file number of which is set forth in Schedule I hereto) on Form S-3, relating to the securities (the “Shelf Securities”), including the Shares, to be issued from time to time by the Company. The registration statement as amended to the date of this Agreement, including the information (if any) deemed to be part of the registration statement at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430A or Rule 430 B under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), is hereinafter referred to as the “Registration Statement”, and the related prospectus covering the Shelf Securities dated July 7, 2011 in the form first used to confirm sales of the Shares (or in the form first made available to the Underwriters by the Company to meet requests of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) is hereinafter referred to as the “Basic Prospectus.” The Basic Prospectus, as supplemented by the prospectus supplement specifically relating to the Shares in the form first used to confirm sales of the Shares (or in the form first made available to the Underwriters by the Company to meet requests of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) is hereinafter referred to as the “Prospectus,” and the term “preliminary prospectus” means any preliminary form of the Prospectus. For purposes of this Agreement, “free writing prospectus” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act, “Time of Sale Prospectus” means the documents and pricing information set forth opposite the caption “Time of Sale Prospectus” in Schedule I hereto, and “broadly available road show” means a “bona fide electronic road show” as defined in Rule 433(h)(5) under the Securities Act that has been made available without restriction to any person. As used herein, the terms “Registration Statement,” “Basic Prospectus,” “preliminary prospectus,” “Time of Sale Prospectus” and “Prospectus” shall include the documents, if any, incorporated by reference therein as of the date hereof. The terms “supplement,” “amendment,” and “amend” as used herein with respect to the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall include all documents subsequently filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), that are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein.

1. A. Representations and Warranties. The Company represents and warrants to and agrees with each of the Underwriters and the Forward Counterparty that:

(a) The Registration Statement has become effective; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement is in effect, and no proceedings for such purpose are pending before or threatened by the Commission. If the

Registration Statement is an automatic shelf registration statement as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act, the Company is a well-known seasoned issuer (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) eligible to use the Registration Statement as an automatic shelf registration statement and the Company has not received notice that the Commission objects to the use of the Registration Statement as an automatic shelf registration statement.

(b) (i) Each document, if any, filed or to be filed pursuant to the Exchange Act and incorporated by reference in the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus complied or will comply when so filed in all material respects with the Exchange Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, (ii) each part of the Registration Statement, when such part became effective, did not contain, and each such part, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (iii) the Registration Statement as of the date hereof does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (iv) the Registration Statement and the Prospectus comply, and as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, (v) the Time of Sale Prospectus does not, and at the time of each sale of the Shares in connection with the offering when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and at the Closing Date (as defined in Section 4), the Time of Sale Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented by the Company, if applicable, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, (vi) each broadly available road show, if any, when considered together with the Time of Sale Prospectus, does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and (vii) the Prospectus does not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that the representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph do not apply to statements or omissions in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus based upon information relating to any Underwriter or the Forward Counterparty furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Managers or by the Forward Counterparty expressly for use therein.

(c) The Company is not an “ineligible issuer” in connection with the offering pursuant to Rules 164, 405 and 433 under the Securities Act. Any free writing prospectus that the Company is required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act has been, or will be, filed with the Commission in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. Each free writing prospectus that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or that was prepared by or behalf of or used or referred to by the Company complies or will comply in all

material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. Except for the free writing prospectuses, if any, identified in Schedule I hereto forming part of the Time of Sale Prospectus, and electronic road shows, if any, each furnished to you before first use, the Company has not prepared, used or referred to, and will not, without your prior consent, prepare, use or refer to, any free writing prospectus.

(d) The Company has been duly incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has the corporate power and authority to own its property and to conduct its business as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(e) Each subsidiary of the Company has been duly incorporated or formed, is validly existing as a corporation or limited liability company in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or formation, has the corporate or limited liability company power and authority to own its property and to conduct its business as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; all of the issued shares of capital stock or equity interests of each subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims.

(f) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

(g) The Forward Sale Agreement has been, and each Additional Forward Sale Agreement will be, duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes or will constitute a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally or by equitable principles relating to enforceability (collectively, the “Enforceability Exceptions”).

(h) The authorized capital stock of the Company, including the Company Shares, conforms as to legal matters to the description thereof contained in each of the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus.

(i) The shares of Common Stock outstanding prior to the issuance of the Company Shares have been duly authorized and are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

(j) The Company Shares have been duly authorized and, when issued and delivered in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and the issuance of such Company Shares will not be subject to any preemptive or similar rights.

(k) Two times the maximum number of shares of Common Stock deliverable to the Forward Counterparty pursuant to the Forward Sale Agreement and any Additional Forward Sale Agreement, whether pursuant to Physical Settlement, Net Share Settlement, as a result of an Acceleration Event (as such terms are defined in the Forward Sale Agreement or Additional Forward Sale Agreement, as applicable) or otherwise, have been duly authorized and reserved for issuance and, when issued and delivered by the Company to the Forward Counterparty pursuant to the Forward Sale Agreement or Additional Forward Sale Agreement, as applicable, against payment of any consideration required to be paid by the Forward Counterparty pursuant to the terms of the Forward Sale Agreement or Additional Forward Sale Agreement, as applicable, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and the issuance thereof is not subject to any preemptive or similar rights.

(l) The execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under, this Agreement will not contravene any provision of applicable law or the articles of incorporation or by-laws of the Company or any agreement or other instrument binding upon the Company or any of its subsidiaries that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Company or any subsidiary, and no consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency is required for the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement, except such as may be required by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states and as have been obtained from the North Carolina Utilities Commission in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares.

(m) The execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under, the Forward Sale Agreement and any Additional Forward Sale Agreement will not contravene any provision of applicable law or the articles of incorporation or by-laws of the Company or any agreement or other instrument binding upon the Company or any of its subsidiaries that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Company or any subsidiary, and no consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency is required for the performance by the Company of its obligations under the Forward Sale Agreement or any Additional Forward Sale Agreement, except such as have been obtained from the North Carolina Utilities Commission.

(n) There has not occurred any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

(o) There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or threatened to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any of the properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject (i) other than proceedings accurately described in all material respects in the Time of Sale Prospectus and proceedings that would not have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or on the power or ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Time of Sale Prospectus or (ii) that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and are not so described; and there are no statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not described or filed as required.

(p) Each preliminary prospectus filed as part of the registration statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act, complied when so filed in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

(q) The Company is not, and after giving effect to (i) the offering and sale of the Company Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof and (ii) the offering of the Borrowed Shares, the issuance, sale and delivery of Common Stock upon settlement of the Forward Sale Agreement and any Additional Forward Sale Agreement and the application of the proceeds thereof, if any, upon such settlement, in each case as described in the Prospectus will not be, required to register as an “investment company” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

(r) The Company and its subsidiaries (i) are in compliance with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“Environmental Laws”), (ii) have received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses and (iii) are in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval, except where such noncompliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other approvals or failure to comply with the terms and conditions of such permits, licenses or approvals would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(s) There are no costs or liabilities associated with Environmental Laws (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties) other than (i) costs or liabilities accurately described in all material respects in the Time of Sale Prospectus or (ii) costs or liabilities which would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(t) There are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Company or to require the Company to include such securities with the Shares registered pursuant to the Registration Statement.

(u) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries or affiliates, nor any director, officer, or employee, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any agent or representative of the Company or of any of its subsidiaries or affiliates, has taken or will take any action in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization or approval of the payment or giving of money, property, gifts or anything else of value, directly or indirectly, to any “government official” (including any officer or employee of a government or government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for political office) to influence official action or secure an improper advantage; and the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with applicable anti-corruption laws.

(v) The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in material compliance with all applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA PATRIOT Act), and the applicable anti-money laundering statutes of jurisdictions where the Company and its subsidiaries conduct business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”), and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.

(w) (i) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, nor any director, officer, or employee thereof, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any agent, affiliate or representative of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, is an individual or entity (“Person”) that is, or is owned or controlled by a Person that is:

(A) the subject of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”), the United Nations Security Council (“UNSC”), the European Union (“EU”), Her Majesty’s Treasury (“HMT”), or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor

(B) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions (including, without limitation, Burma/Myanmar, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Sudan and Syria).

(ii) The Company will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the offering or the proceeds, if any, due upon settlement of the Forward Sale Agreement or any Additional Forward Sale Agreement, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available any such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person:

(A) to fund or facilitate any activities or business of or with any Person or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject of Sanctions; or

(B) in any other manner that will result in a violation of Sanctions by any Person (including any Person participating in the offering, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise).

(iii) For the past 5 years, the Company and its subsidiaries have not knowingly engaged in, are not now knowingly engaged in, and will not engage in, any dealings or transactions with any Person, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject of Sanctions.

(x) The Company and each of its subsidiaries have filed all federal, state, local and foreign tax returns required to be filed through the date of this Agreement or have requested extensions thereof (except where the failure to file would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect) and have paid all taxes required to be paid thereon (except for cases in which the failure to file or pay would not have a material adverse effect, or, except as currently being contested in good faith and for which reserves required by U.S. GAAP have been created in the financial statements of the Company), and no tax deficiency has been determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries which has had (nor does the Company nor any of its subsidiaries have any notice or knowledge of any tax deficiency which could reasonably be expected to be determined adversely to the Company or its subsidiaries and which could reasonably be expected to have) a material adverse effect.

(y) The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences; and (v) the interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement presents fairly the information called for. Except as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus, since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (i) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (ii) no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

(z) The interactive data in eXtensbile Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.

(aa) Each director of the Company is subject to the Company’s ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ and Reporting Policy (the “▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Policy”). Pursuant to the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Policy, each director of the Company must obtain the approval of the Company prior to engaging in any of the sales and certain other dispositions of shares of Common Stock or certain other securities subject of the “lock-up” agreements substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto with respect to the Company’s executive officers.

B. Representations and Warranties of the Forward Counterparty. The Forward Counterparty severally represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each Underwriter that:

(a) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by such Forward Counterparty and, at the Closing Date and at each Additional Closing Date (if any), the Forward Counterparty will have full right, power and authority to sell, transfer and deliver the Borrowed Firm Shares or the Borrowed Additional Shares, as the case may be, to the extent that it is required to transfer such Borrowed Shares hereunder.

(b) The Forward Sale Agreement and each Additional Forward Sale Agreement (if any), as applicable, has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Forward Counterparty and constitutes a valid and binding agreement of the Forward Counterparty, enforceable against the Forward Counterparty in accordance with its terms, except to the extent that enforceability thereof may be limited by the Enforceability Exceptions.

(c) The Forward Counterparty will, at the Closing Date and at each Additional Closing Date (if any), have the free and unqualified right to transfer any Borrowed Firm Shares or Borrowed Additional Shares, as the case may be, to the extent that it is required to transfer such Borrowed Shares hereunder, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, charge, claim, equity or encumbrance of any kind; and upon delivery of such Borrowed Shares and payment of the purchase price therefor as herein contemplated, assuming each of the Underwriters has no notice of any adverse claim, each of the Underwriters will have the fee and unqualified right to transfer any such Borrowed Shares purchased by it from the Forward Counterparty, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, charge, claim, equity or encumbrance of any kind.

2. Agreements to Sell and Purchase. (a) On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, but subject to the conditions hereinafter stated, each of the Forward Counterparty (with respect to the Borrowed Firm Shares) and the Company (with respect to the Company Firm Shares and any Company Top-Up Firm Shares), severally and not jointly, agrees to sell to the several Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Forward

Counterparty (with respect to the Borrowed Firm Shares) and the Company (with respect to the Company Firm Shares and any Company Top-Up Firm Shares) the respective numbers of Borrowed Firm Shares or Company Firm Shares, as applicable, as set forth in Schedule II hereto under the heading “Number of Borrowed Firm Shares To Be Purchased” or the heading “Number of Company Firm Shares To Be Purchased,” as the case may be, opposite its name at the purchase price set forth in Schedule I hereto (the “Purchase Price”).

(b) On the basis of the representations and warranties contained in this Agreement, and subject to its terms and conditions, the Underwriters shall have the right to purchase pursuant to clause (i) or clause (ii) below, as applicable, severally and not jointly, up to the number of Additional Shares set forth in Schedule I hereto at the Purchase Price, provided, however, that the amount paid by the Underwriters for any Additional Shares shall be reduced by an amount per share equal to any dividends declared by the Company and payable on the Firm Shares but not payable on such Additional Shares (the “Additional Purchase Price”). You may exercise this right on behalf of the Underwriters in whole or from time to time in part by giving written notice not later than 30 days after the date of the Prospectus. Any exercise notice shall specify the number of Additional Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters and the date on which such shares are to be purchased. Each purchase date must be at least two business days after the written notice is given and may not be earlier than the closing date for the Firm Shares nor later than ten business days after the date of such notice. Additional Shares may be purchased as provided in Section 4 hereof solely for the purpose of covering sales of shares in excess of the number of the Firm Shares. Following delivery of an exercise notice:

(i) The Company may, in its sole discretion, within one business day after such notice is given, execute and deliver to the Forward Counterparty an additional letter agreement substantially in the form attached hereto as Schedule III between the Company and the Forward Counterparty (an “Additional Forward Sale Agreement”) providing for the forward sale by the Company, subject to the Company’s right to elect Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement (as such terms are defined in such Additional Forward Sale Agreement), of a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the aggregate number of Additional Shares being purchased by the Underwriters from the Forward Counterparty pursuant to the exercise of such option. Upon the Company’s execution and delivery to the Forward Counterparty of such Additional Forward Sale Agreement, the Forward Counterparty shall promptly execute and deliver such Additional Forward Sale Agreement to the Company, and upon such execution and delivery to the Company, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements contained herein, and subject to the conditions stated herein, each of the Forward Counterparty and the Company (with respect to any Company Top-Up Additional Shares), severally and not jointly, hereby agrees to sell to the several Underwriters such number of Additional Shares at the Additional Purchase Price.

(ii) If the Company does not timely execute and deliver the Additional Forward Sale Agreement pursuant to clause (i) above, then on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement, and subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, the Company hereby agrees to sell to the several Underwriters the aggregate number of Additional Shares with respect to which the option is being exercised at the Additional Purchase Price.

On each day, if any, that Additional Shares are to be purchased (an “Additional Closing Date”), each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements contained herein, and subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to purchase from the Company or the Forward Counterparty, as applicable, at the Additional Purchase Price, the number of Additional Shares (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as you may determine) that bears the same proportion to the total number of Additional Shares to be purchased on such Additional Closing Date as the number of Company Firm Shares set forth in Schedule II hereto under the heading “Number of Company Firm Shares To Be Purchased” opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Company Firm Shares.

(c) If all of the conditions to effectiveness set forth in Section 3 of the Forward Sale Agreement are not satisfied on or prior to the Closing Date, the Forward Counterparty, in its sole discretion, may elect not to borrow and deliver for sale to the Underwriters the Borrowed Firm Shares. In addition, in the event that (i) the Forward Counterparty is unable to borrow and deliver for sale under this Agreement a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of Borrowed Firm Shares, (ii) in the Forward Counterparty’s commercially reasonable judgment, it is impracticable to do so, or (iii) in the Forward Counterparty’s commercially reasonable judgment, it would incur a stock loan cost of more than a rate equal to 100 basis points per annum to do so, then, in each case, the Forward Counterparty shall only be required to deliver for sale to the Underwriters on the Closing Date the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that the Forward Counterparty is able to so borrow at or below such cost.

(d) If the Company has entered into an Additional Forward Sale Agreement with the Forward Counterparty pursuant to Section 2(b)(i) hereof, and (i) any of the representations and warranties of the Company contained in Section 1.A. hereof or any certificate delivered pursuant hereto are not true and correct in all material respects as of the relevant Additional Closing Date, (ii) the Company has not performed all of the additional obligations required to be performed by it under this Agreement on or prior to the relevant Additional Closing Date, (iii) any of the conditions set forth in Section 5 hereof have not been satisfied on or prior to the relevant Additional Closing Date, or (iv) all of the conditions to effectiveness set forth in Section 3 of the relevant Additional Forward Sale Agreement are not satisfied on or prior to the relevant Additional Closing Date (clauses (i) through (iv), together, the “Additional Conditions”), then the Forward Counterparty, in its sole discretion, may elect not to borrow and deliver for sale to the Underwriters on the relevant Additional Closing Date the Borrowed Additional Shares. In addition, in the event that (A) the Forward Counterparty is unable to borrow and deliver for sale under this Agreement a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of Borrowed Additional Shares, (B) in the Forward Counterparty’s commercially

reasonable judgment, it is impracticable to do so, or (C) in the Forward Counterparty’s commercially reasonable judgment, it would incur a stock loan cost of more than a rate equal to 100 basis points per annum to do so, then, in each case, the Forward Counterparty shall only be required to deliver for sale to the Underwriters on the Closing Date the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that the Forward Counterparty is able to so borrow at or below such cost.

(e) If (i) the Forward Counterparty elects, pursuant to Section 2(c) hereof, not to borrow and deliver for sale to the Underwriters on the Closing Date the total number of Borrowed Firm Shares, or (ii) the Forward Counterparty has entered into an Additional Forward Sale Agreement with the Company pursuant to Section 2(b)(i) hereof and the Forward Counterparty elects, pursuant to Section 2(d) hereof, not to borrow and deliver for sale to the Underwriters on the relevant Additional Closing Date the total number of Borrowed Additional Shares for such Additional Closing Date, the Forward Counterparty will use its commercially reasonable efforts to notify the Company no later than 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the first business day prior to the Closing Date or such Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.

3. Public Offering. The Company is advised by you that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of their respective portions of the Shares as soon after the Registration Statement and this Agreement have become effective as in your judgment is advisable. The Company is further advised by you that the Shares are to be offered to the public upon the terms set forth in the Prospectus.

4. Payment and Delivery. The Forward Counterparty (with respect to the Borrowed Firm Shares) and the Company (with respect to the Company Firm Shares and any Company Top-Up Firm Shares) will deliver the Firm Shares to or as instructed by the Managers for the accounts of the several Underwriters in a form reasonably acceptable to the Managers against payment of the Purchase Price for such Firm Shares by the Underwriters to the Forward Counterparty or the Company, as applicable, in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City on the closing date and time set forth in Schedule I hereto, or at such other time on the same or such other date, not later than the fifth business day thereafter, as may be agreed by the Managers and the Forward Counterparty (in the case of any Borrowed Firm Shares). The time and date of such payment are hereinafter referred to as the “Closing Date.”

The Forward Counterparty (with respect to the Borrowed Additional Shares) and the Company (with respect to the Company Additional Shares and any Company Top-Up Additional Shares) will deliver the Additional Shares to or as instructed by the Managers for the accounts of the several Underwriters in a form reasonably acceptable to the Managers against payment of the Additional Purchase Price for any such Additional Shares by the Underwriters to the Forward Counterparty or the Company, as applicable, in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City on the date specified in the corresponding notice described in Section 2 or at such other time on the same or on such other date, in any event not later than the tenth business day thereafter, as may be agreed by the Managers and the Forward Counterparty (in the case of any Borrowed Additional Shares).

The Firm Shares and the Additional Shares shall be registered in such names and in such denominations as you shall request in writing not later than one full business day prior to the Closing Date or the applicable Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters, with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the transfer of the Shares to the Underwriters duly paid, against payment of the Purchase Price therefor.

5. Conditions to the Obligations of the Underwriters and the Forward Counterparty. The several obligations of the Underwriters and the Forward Counterparty are subject to the following conditions:

(a) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date:

(i) there shall not have occurred any downgrading, nor shall any notice have been given of any intended or potential downgrading or of any review for a possible change that does not indicate the direction of the possible change, in the rating accorded any of the securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as such term is defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act; and

(ii) there shall not have occurred any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus that, in your judgment or the judgment of the Forward Counterparty, is material and adverse and that makes it, in your judgment or the judgment of the Forward Counterparty, impracticable to market the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

(b) The Underwriters and the Forward Counterparty shall have received on the Closing Date a certificate, dated the Closing Date and signed by an executive officer of the Company, to the effect set forth in Section 5(a)(i) above and to the effect that the representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement are true and correct as of the Closing Date and that the Company has complied with all of the agreements and satisfied all of the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder on or before the Closing Date.

The officer signing and delivering such certificate may rely upon the best of his or her knowledge as to proceedings threatened.

(c) The Underwriters and the Forward Counterparty shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, outside counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that:

(i) the Company has been duly incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has the corporate power and authority to own its property and to

conduct its business as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole;

(ii) each subsidiary of the Company has been duly incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has the corporate power and authority to own its property and to conduct its business as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole;

(iii) the authorized capital stock of the Company, including the Company Shares, conforms as to legal matters to the description thereof contained in each of the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus;

(iv) the Company Shares have been duly authorized and, when issued and delivered in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and the issuance of such Company Shares will not be subject to any preemptive or similar rights;

(v) two times the maximum number of shares of Common Stock deliverable to the Forward Counterparty pursuant to the Forward Sale Agreement and any Additional Forward Sale Agreement, whether pursuant to Physical Settlement, Net Share Settlement, as a result of an Acceleration Event (as such terms are defined in the Forward Sale Agreement or Additional Forward Sale Agreement, as applicable) or otherwise, have been duly authorized and reserved for issuance and, when issued and delivered by the Company to the Forward Counterparty pursuant to the Forward Sale Agreement or Additional Forward Sale Agreement, as applicable, against payment of any consideration required to be paid by the Forward Counterparty pursuant to the terms of the Forward Sale Agreement or Additional Forward Sale Agreement, as applicable, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and the issuance thereof is not subject to any preemptive or similar rights;

(vi) this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company;

(vii) the Forward Sale Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by the Enforceability Exceptions;

(viii) each additional Forward Sale Agreement has been duly authorized and upon execution and delivery by the Company will constitute a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by the Enforceability Exceptions;

(ix) the execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under, this Agreement will not contravene any provision of applicable law (other than with respect to state securities laws or Blue Sky laws of any jurisdiction) or the articles of incorporation or by-laws of the Company or any agreement or other instrument filed or referenced in exhibits to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended October 31, 2012 or any subsequent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or Current Report on Form 8-K, or, to such counsel’s knowledge, any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Company or any subsidiary, and no consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency is required for the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement, except such as may be required by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states or the North Carolina Utilities Commission in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares;

(x) the execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under, the Forward Sale Agreement and any Additional Forward Sale Agreement will not contravene any provision of applicable law (other than with respect to state securities laws or Blue Sky laws of any jurisdiction) or the articles of incorporation or by-laws of the Company or any agreement or other instrument filed or referenced in exhibits to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended October 31, 2012 or any subsequent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or Current Report on Form 8-K, or, to such counsel’s knowledge, any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Company or any subsidiary, and no consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency is required for the performance by the Company of its obligations under the Forward Sale Agreement or any Additional Forward Sale Agreement, except the North Carolina Utilities Commission;

(xi) the statements relating to legal matters, documents or proceedings included in (A) the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus under the captions “Material U.S. Federal Tax Consequences to Non-U.S. Holders of Common Stock” and “Description of Our Common Stock,” (B) the Prospectus under the caption “Underwriting” and (C) the Registration Statement in Item 15, in each case fairly summarize in all material respects such matters, documents or proceedings;

(xii) the Company is not, and after giving effect to (i) the offering and sale of the Company Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof and (ii) the offering of the Borrowed Shares, the issuance, sale and delivery of Common Stock upon settlement of the Forward Sale Agreement and any Additional Forward Sale Agreement and the application of the proceeds thereof, if any, upon such settlement, in each case as described in the Prospectus will not be, required to register as an “investment company” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended; and

(xiii) (A) in the opinion of such counsel (1) the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended October 31, 2012, Current Report on Form 8-K filed on November 14, 2012 and Registration Statement on Form 8-B, which are incorporated by reference in the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus (except for the financial statements and financial schedules and other financial and statistical data included therein, as to which such counsel need not express any opinion) appeared on its face to be appropriately responsive as of its filing date in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and (2) the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (except for the financial statements and financial schedules and other financial and statistical data included therein as to which such counsel need not express any opinion) appear on their face to be appropriately responsive in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and (B) in rendering such opinion, but without opining in connection therewith, such counsel shall also state that, based upon such counsel’s participation in conference with representatives of the Company regarding the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, nothing has come to the attention of such counsel that causes such counsel to believe that (1) any part of the Registration Statement, when such part became effective, (except for the financial statements and financial schedules and other financial and statistical data included therein as to which such counsel need not express any belief) contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (2) the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (except for the financial statements and financial schedules and other financial and statistical data included therein as to which such counsel need not express any belief) on the date of this Agreement contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (3) the Time of Sale Prospectus (except for the financial statements and financial schedules and other financial and statistical data included therein, as to which such counsel need not express any belief) as of the date of this Agreement or as amended or supplemented, if applicable, as of the Closing Date contained or contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made not misleading or (4) the Prospectus (except for the financial statements and financial schedules and other financial and statistical data included therein, as to which such counsel need not

express any belief) as amended or supplemented, if applicable, as of the Closing Date contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made not misleading.

(d) The Underwriters and the Forward Counterparty shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of ▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, outside counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that any consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with the North Carolina Utilities Commission required with respect to the performance by the Company of its obligations under the Forward Sale Agreement or any Additional Forward Sale Agreement, the issuance and sale by the Company of the Company Shares or the sale by the Forward Counterparty of the Borrowed Shares, in each case has been obtained.

(e) The Underwriters and the Forward Counterparty shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, Deputy General Counsel and Assistant Corporate Secretary of the Company, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that such counsel does not know of any legal or governmental proceedings pending or threatened to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any of the properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and are not so described or of any statutes regulations, contracts or other documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not described or filed as required.

(f) The Underwriters and the Forward Counterparty shall have received on the Closing Date, the favorable opinion of Fried, Frank, Harris, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated the Closing Date, with respect to the sale of the Shares and other related matters as the Underwriters may require.

With respect to Section 5(c)(xiii) above, counsel for the Company may state that their opinions and beliefs are based upon their participation in the preparation of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto and review and discussion of the contents thereof, but are without independent check or verification, except as specified.

The opinion of counsel for the Company described in Section 5(c), Section 5(d) and Section 5(e) above shall be rendered to the Underwriters and the Forward Counterparty at the request of the Company and shall so state therein.

(g) The Underwriters and the Forward Counterparty shall have received, on each of the date hereof and the Closing Date, a letter dated the date hereof or the Closing Date, as the case may be, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters and the Forward Counterparty, from Deloitte & Touche LLP, independent public accountants, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus; provided that the letter delivered on the Closing Date shall use a “cut-off date” not earlier than the date hereof.

(h) The “lock-up” agreements, each substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, between you and each executive officer of the Company relating to sales and certain other dispositions of shares of Common Stock or certain other securities, delivered to you on or before the date hereof, shall be in full force and effect on the Closing Date.

(i) The Company Shares to be issued and sold by the Company hereunder on the Closing Date or the relevant Additional Closing Date, and the shares of Common Stock (if any) deliverable to the Forward Counterparty pursuant to the Forward Sale Agreement and any Additional Forward Sale Agreement, whether pursuant to Physical Settlement, Net Share Settlement, as a result of an Acceleration Event (as such terms are defined in the Forward Sale Agreement or Additional Forward Sale Agreement, as applicable) or otherwise, in each case, shall have been approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange, subject to official notice of issuance.

The several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase Additional Shares hereunder are subject to the delivery to you and the Forward Counterparty on the applicable Additional Closing Date of the legal opinions required by Section 5(c), Section 5(d) and Section 5(e) hereof, dated as of the applicable Additional Closing Date, and such other documents as you or the Forward Counterparty may reasonably request with respect to the good standing of the Company, the due authorization and issuance of the Additional Shares to be sold on such Additional Closing Date and other matters related to the issuance of such Additional Shares.

6. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants with each Underwriter and the Forward Counterparty as follows:

(a) To furnish to you and the Forward Counterparty, without charge, a signed copy of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein) and to deliver to each of the Underwriters and the Forward Counterparty during the period mentioned in Section 6(e) or 6(f) below, as many copies of the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, any documents incorporated by reference therein and any supplements and amendments thereto or to the Registration Statement as you or the Forward Counterparty may reasonably request.

(b) Before amending or supplementing the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus, to furnish to you and the Forward Counterparty a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement and not to file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which you or the Forward Counterparty reasonably object.

(c) To furnish to you and the Forward Counterparty a copy of each proposed free writing prospectus to be prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company and not to use or refer to any proposed free writing prospectus to which you or the Forward Counterparty reasonably object.

(d) Not to take any action that would result in an Underwriter, the Forward Counterparty or the Company being required to file with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of such Underwriter or Forward Counterparty that such Underwriter or Forward Counterparty otherwise would not have been required to file thereunder.

(e) If the Time of Sale Prospectus is being used to solicit offers to buy the Shares at a time when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances, not misleading, or if any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which the Time of Sale Prospectus conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement then on file, or if, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or the Forward Counterparty, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus to comply with applicable law, forthwith to prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and the Forward Counterparty and to any dealer upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Time of Sale Prospectus so that the statements in the Time of Sale Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when the Time of Sale Prospectus is delivered to a prospective purchaser, be misleading or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will no longer conflict with the Registration Statement, or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law.

(f) If, during such period after the first date of the public offering of the Shares as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or the Forward Counterparty the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by an Underwriter, the Forward Counterparty or dealer, any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or the Forward Counterparty, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with applicable law, forthwith to prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters, the Forward Counterparty and to the dealers (whose names and addresses you will furnish to the Company) to which Shares may have been sold by you on behalf of the Underwriters and to any other dealers upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Prospectus so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law.

(g) The Company shall furnish such information as may be required and otherwise cooperate in qualifying the Company Shares for offering and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such states and other jurisdictions as you may reasonably

designate and maintain such qualifications in effect so long as you may reasonably request for the distribution of the Company Shares; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to consent to the service of process under the laws of any such jurisdiction or to subject the Company to taxation in excess of a normal amount (in the context of the offering, issuance and sale of the Common Shares and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby) under the laws of any such jurisdiction (except service of process with respect to the offering and sale of the Company Shares).

(h) To make generally available to the Company’s security holders and to you and the Forward Counterparty as soon as practicable an earning statement covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the date of this Agreement which shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

(i) Whether or not the transactions contemplated in this Agreement, the Forward Sale Agreement or any Additional Forward Sale Agreement are consummated or this Agreement, the Forward Sale Agreement or any Additional Forward Sale Agreement is terminated, to pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, the Forward Sale Agreement and any Additional Forward Sale Agreement, including: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s counsel and the Company’s accountants in connection with the registration and delivery of the Shares under the Securities Act and all other fees or expenses in connection with the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company and amendments and supplements to any of the foregoing, including the filing fees payable to the Commission relating to the Shares (within the time required by Rule 456 (b)(1), if applicable), all printing costs associated therewith, and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and the Forward Counterparty and dealers, in the quantities hereinabove specified, (ii) all costs and expenses related to the transfer and delivery of the Shares to the Underwriters, including any transfer or other taxes payable thereon, (iii) the cost of printing or producing any Blue Sky or Legal Investment memorandum in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares under state securities laws and all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Shares for offer and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 6(g) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters or the Forward Counterparty in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky or Legal Investment memorandum, (iv) all filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters and the Forward Counterparty incurred in connection with the review and qualification of the offering of the Shares by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, (v) all costs and expenses incident to listing the Company Shares and any shares issuable pursuant to the Forward Sale Agreement or any Additional Forward Sale Agreement on the New York Stock Exchange, (vi) the cost of printing certificates representing the Shares, (vii) the costs and charges of any transfer agent, registrar or depositary, (viii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing

of the offering of the Shares, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the preparation or dissemination of any electronic road show, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations with the prior approval of the Company, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and any such consultants, and the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the road show, (ix) the document production charges and expenses associated with printing this Agreement, the Forward Sale Agreement and any Additional Forward Sale Agreement and (x) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company hereunder for which provision is not otherwise made in this Section. It is understood, however, that except as provided in this Section, Section 8 entitled “Indemnity and Contribution” and the last paragraph of Section 11 below, the Underwriters and the Forward Counterparty will pay all of their costs and expenses, including fees and disbursements of their counsel, stock transfer taxes payable on resale of any of the Shares by them and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make.

(j) If the third anniversary of the initial effective date of the Registration Statement occurs before all the Shares have been sold by the Underwriters, prior to the third anniversary to file a new shelf registration statement and to take any other action necessary to permit the public offering of the Shares to continue without interruption; references herein to the Registration Statement shall include the new registration statement declared effective by the Commission;

(k) If requested by the Managers, to prepare a final term sheet relating to the offering of the Shares, containing only information that describes the final terms of the offering in a form consented to by the Managers and the Forward Counterparty, and to file such final term sheet within the period required by Rule 433(d)(5)(ii) under the Securities Act following the date the final terms have been established for the offering of the Shares.

(l) To use its best efforts to list on the New York Stock Exchange, upon issuance by the Company, (i) the Company Shares to be issued and sold by the Company hereunder, and (ii) the shares of Common Stock (if any) to be issued to the Forward Counterparty pursuant to the Forward Sale Agreement and any Additional Forward Sale Agreement, whether pursuant to Physical Settlement, Net Share Settlement or as a result of an Acceleration Event (as such terms are defined in the Forward Sale Agreement or Additional Forward Sale Agreement, as applicable) or otherwise.

The Company also covenants with each Underwriter that, without the prior written consent of the Managers identified in Schedule I with the authorization to release this lock-up on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, during the restricted period set forth in Schedule I hereto (the “Restricted Period”), (1) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or (2) enter into any swap or other

arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise or (3) file any registration statement with the Commission relating to the offering of any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (a) the Shares to be sold hereunder, (b) any shares of Common Stock issued and delivered pursuant to the Forward Sale Agreement or any Additional Forward Sale Agreement, (c) the issuance by the Company of shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of an option or warrant or the conversion of a security outstanding on the date hereof of which the Underwriters have been advised in writing, (d) the establishment of a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of shares of Common Stock, provided that (i) such plan does not provide for the transfer of Common Stock during the Restricted Period and (ii) to the extent a public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act, if any, is required of or voluntarily made by the Company regarding the establishment of such plan, such announcement or filing shall include a statement to the effect that no transfer of Common Stock may be made under such plan during the Restricted Period, (e) pursuant to any employee or director benefit plan or compensation arrangements, dividend reinvestment and stock purchase plan or employee stock purchase plan described in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or (f) pursuant to an agreement which provides for the issuance of Common Stock or securities exchangeable for, exercisable for or convertible into shares of Common Stock in an amount not to exceed 5% of the Common Stock outstanding on the date of this Agreement in connection with the acquisition of, or joint venture with, another company; provided that the recipients of securities referred to in this clause (f) sign and deliver a lock-up letter substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto addressed to the Managers agreeing to be bound by the terms of such letter during the Restricted Period.

The Company also covenants with each Underwriter that, without prior written consent of the Managers identified in Schedule I with the authorization to release this lock-up on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, during the Restricted Period, approve in accordance with the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Policy, any request of any director of the Company to engage in any of the sales and certain other dispositions of shares of Common Stock or certain other securities subject of the “lock-up” agreements substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto with respect to the Company’s executive officers.

7. Covenants of the Underwriters and the Forward Counterparty. Each Underwriter and the Forward Counterparty severally covenants with the Company not to take any action that would result in the Company being required to file with the Commission under Rule 433(d) a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of such Underwriter or Forward Counterparty that otherwise would not be required to be filed by the Company thereunder, but for the action of such Underwriter or Forward Counterparty.

8. Indemnity and Contribution. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter and the Forward Counterparty, each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter or the Forward Counterparty within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act and each affiliate of any Underwriter or the Forward Counterparty within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, any issuer free writing prospectus as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act, any Company information that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, any “road show” as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act (a “road show”), or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities are caused by any such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission based upon information relating to any Underwriter or the Forward Counterparty furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter or Forward Counterparty through you expressly for use therein.

(b) Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who sign the Registration Statement, the Forward Counterparty, each of the directors and officers of the Forward Counterparty, and each person, if any, who controls the Company or the Forward Counterparty within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the indemnity set forth in Section 8(a) from the Company to each of such Underwriter and the Forward Counterparty, each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter and the Forward Counterparty within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and each affiliate of such Underwriter and the Forward Counterparty within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act, but only with reference to information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company or the Forward Counterparty in writing by such Underwriter through you expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any issuer free writing prospectus, road show, or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto.

(c) In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation) shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 8(a) or 8(b), such person (the “indemnified party”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the “indemnifying party”) in writing and the indemnifying party, upon request of the indemnified party, shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party and any others the indemnifying party may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding. In any such proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the

fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel or (ii) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. It is understood that the indemnifying party shall not, in respect of the legal expenses of any indemnified party in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all such indemnified parties and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. Such firm shall be designated in writing by the Manager authorized to appoint counsel under this Section set forth in Schedule I hereto, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 8(a), and by the Company, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 8(b). The indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by the second and third sentences of this paragraph, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding.

(d) To the extent the indemnification provided for in Section 8(a) or 8(b) is unavailable to an indemnified party or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each indemnifying party under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the indemnifying party on the one hand and the indemnified party on the other hand from the offering of the Shares or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause 8(d) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause 8(d) above but also the relative fault of the indemnifying party on the one hand and of the indemnified party on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company, the Forward Counterparty and the Underwriters in connection with the offering of the Shares shall be deemed to be in the

same respective proportions as the net proceeds from the offering of the Shares (before deducting expenses) received by the Company (which proceeds shall include the proceeds to be received by the Company pursuant to the Forward Sale Agreement and any Additional Forward Sale Agreement assuming Physical Settlement (as such term is defined in the Forward Sale Agreement or Additional Forward Sale Agreement, as applicable) of the Forward Sale Agreement and any Additional Forward Sale Agreement on the Effective Date (as such term is defined in the Forward Sale Agreement or Additional Forward Sale Agreement, as the case may be), the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, and the aggregate Spread (as defined in the Forward Sale Agreement and any Additional Forward Sale Agreement) received by the Forward Counterparty under the Forward Sale Agreement and any Additional Forward Sale Agreement, net of any costs associated therewith, as reasonably determined by the Forward Counterparty, bear to the aggregate initial public offering price of the Shares set forth in the Prospectus. The relative fault of the indemnifying party on the one hand and the indemnified party on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company, the Underwriters or the Forward Counterparty and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 8 are several in proportion to the respective number of Shares they have purchased hereunder, and not joint.

(e) The Company, the Underwriters and the Forward Counterparty agree that it would not be just or equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 8 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in Section 8(d). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in Section 8(d) shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The remedies provided for in this Section 8 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any indemnified party at law or in equity.

(f) The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Section 8 and the representations, warranties and other statements of the Company contained in this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement, the Forward Sale Agreement or any Additional Forward

Sale Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, the Forward Counterparty, any person controlling any Underwriter or the Forward Counterparty or any affiliate of any Underwriter or the Forward Counterparty or by or on behalf of the Company, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and (iii) acceptance of and payment for any of the Shares.

9. Issuance and Sale by the Company.

(a) In the event that (i) all the conditions to effectiveness set forth in Section 3 of the Forward Sale Agreement are not satisfied on or prior to the Closing Date or, in respect of any Additional Forward Sale Agreement entered into pursuant to Section 2(b)(i), all the Additional Conditions are not satisfied on the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and the Forward Counterparty elects, pursuant to Section 2(c) or Section 2(d) hereof, as the case may be, not to deliver the Borrowed Firm Shares or the Borrowed Additional Shares deliverable by the Forward Counterparty, as applicable, (ii) the Forward Counterparty is unable to borrow and deliver for sale under this Agreement a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of the Borrowed Firm Shares or Borrowed Additional Shares, as applicable, (iii) in the Forward Counterparty’s commercially reasonable judgment, it is impracticable to do so, or (iv) in the Forward Counterparty’s commercially reasonable judgment, it would incur a stock loan cost of more than a rate equal to 100 basis points per annum to do so, then, in each case, the Company shall issue and sell to the Underwriters, pursuant to Section 4 hereof, in whole but not in part, an aggregate number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of Borrowed Firm Shares or Borrowed Additional Shares, as the case may be, that the Forward Counterparty does not so deliver and sell to the Underwriters. In connection with any such issuance and sale by the Company, the Company or the Managers shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date or the relevant Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, for a period not exceeding one business day in order to effect any required changes in any documents or arrangements. The shares of Common Stock sold by the Company to the Underwriters pursuant to this Section 9(a) in lieu of Borrowed Firm Shares are referred to herein as the “Company Top-Up Firm Shares,” and the shares of Common Stock sold by the Company to the Underwriters pursuant to this Section 9(a) in lieu of Borrowed Additional Shares are referred to herein as the “Company Top-Up Additional Shares.”

(b) The Forward Counterparty shall not have any liability whatsoever for any Borrowed Shares that the Forward Counterparty does not deliver and sell the Underwriters or any other party if (i) all of the conditions to effectiveness set forth in Section 3 of the Forward Sale Agreement are not satisfied on or prior to the Closing Date, in the case of Borrowed Firm Shares, or all of the Additional Conditions are not satisfied on or prior to the relevant Additional Closing Date, in the case of Borrowed Additional Shares, and the Forward Counterparty elects, pursuant to Section 2(c) or Section 2(d) hereof, as the case may be, not to deliver and sell to the Underwriters the Borrowed Firm Shares or the Borrowed Additional Shares, as applicable, (ii) the Forward Counterparty is unable to borrow and deliver for sale under this Agreement a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of the Borrowed Firm Shares or Borrowed Additional Shares, as applicable, (iii) in the Forward Counterparty’s commercially

reasonable judgment, it is impracticable to do so, or (iv) in the Forward Counterparty’s commercially reasonable judgment, it would incur a stock loan cost of more than a rate equal to 100 basis points per annum to do so.

10. Termination. The Underwriters or the Forward Counterparty may terminate this Agreement by notice given by you to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on, or by, as the case may be, any of the New York Stock Exchange, the NYSE MKT, the NASDAQ Global Market, the Chicago Board of Options Exchange, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange or the Chicago Board of Trade, (ii) trading of any securities of the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market, (iii) a material disruption in securities settlement, payment or clearance services in the United States shall have occurred, (iv) any moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by Federal or New York State authorities or (v) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis that, in your judgment, is material and adverse and which, singly or together with any other event specified in this clause (v), makes it, in your judgment, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offer, sale or delivery of the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus.

11. Effectiveness; Defaulting Underwriters. This Agreement shall become effective upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto.

If, on the Closing Date or an Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Shares that it has or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, and the aggregate number of Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase is not more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of the Shares to be purchased on such date, the other Underwriters shall be obligated severally in the proportions that the aggregate number of Firm Shares set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule II under the headings “Number of Company Firm Shares To Be Purchased” and “Number of Borrowed Firm Shares To Be Purchased” bears to the aggregate number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting Underwriters under the headings “Number of Company Firm Shares To Be Purchased” and “Number of Borrowed Firm Shares To Be Purchased”, or in such other proportions as you may specify, to purchase the Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase on such date; provided that in no event shall the number of Shares that any Underwriter has agreed to purchase pursuant to this Agreement be increased pursuant to this Section 11 by an amount in excess of one-ninth of such number of Shares without the written consent of such Underwriter. If, on the Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Firm Shares and the aggregate number of Firm Shares with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Firm Shares to be purchased on such date, and arrangements satisfactory to you and the Company for the purchase of such Firm Shares are not made within 36 hours after such default, this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company.

In any such case either you or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date, but in no event for longer than seven days, in order that the required changes, if any, in the Registration Statement, in the Time of Sale Prospectus, in the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. If, on an Additional Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Additional Shares and the aggregate number of Additional Shares with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Additional Shares to be purchased on such Additional Closing Date, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall have the option to (i) terminate their obligation hereunder to purchase the Additional Shares to be sold on such Additional Closing Date or (ii) purchase not less than the number of Additional Shares that such non-defaulting Underwriters would have been obligated to purchase in the absence of such default. Any action taken under this paragraph shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.

If this Agreement shall be terminated by the Underwriters, or any of them, because of any failure or refusal on the part of the Company to comply with the terms or to fulfill any of the conditions of this Agreement, or if for any reason the Company shall be unable to perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters and the Forward Counterparty or such Underwriters as have so terminated this Agreement with respect to themselves, severally, for all out-of-pocket expenses (including the fees and disbursements of their counsel) reasonably incurred by such Underwriters and Forward Counterparty in connection with this Agreement or the offering contemplated hereunder.

12. Entire Agreement. (a) This Agreement and the Forward Sale Agreement represents the entire agreement between the Company, the Underwriters and the Forward Counterparty with respect to the preparation of any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, the conduct of the offering, and the purchase and sale of the Shares.

(b) The Company acknowledges that in connection with the offering of the Shares: (i) the Underwriters and the Forward Counterparty have acted at arm’s length, are not agents of, and owe no fiduciary duties to, the Company or any other person, (ii) the Underwriters and the Forward Counterparty owe the Company only those duties and obligations set forth in this Agreement, the Forward Sale Agreement or any Additional Forward Sale Agreement, if any, and (iii) the Underwriters and the Forward Counterparty may have interests that differ from those of the Company. The Company waives to the full extent permitted by applicable law any claims it may have against the Underwriters and the Forward Counterparty arising from an alleged breach of fiduciary duty in connection with the offering of the Shares.

13. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument.

14. Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York.

15. Headings. The headings of the sections of this Agreement have been inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not be deemed a part of this Agreement.

16. Notices. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and effective only upon receipt and if to the Underwriters or the Forward Counterparty shall be delivered, mailed or sent to you at the address set forth in Schedule I hereto; and if to the Company shall be delivered, mailed or sent to the address set forth in Schedule I hereto.


Very truly yours, PIEDMONT NATURAL GAS COMPANY, INC.

By:	/s/ ▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
	Name:	▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
	Title:	Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & CO. LLC, in its capacity as Forward Counterparty

By:	/s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
	Name:	▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
	Title:	Vice President


Accepted as of the date hereof ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. LLC ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC ▇▇▇▇▇ Fargo Securities, LLC Acting severally on behalf of themselves and the several Underwriters named in Schedule II hereto.

By:	▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. LLC

By:	/s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
	Name:	▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
	Title:	Vice President

By:	▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC

By:	/s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
	Name:	▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
	Title:	Vice President

By:	▇▇▇▇▇ Fargo Securities, LLC

By:	/s/ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
	Name:	▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
	Title:	Director

SCHEDULE I


Managers:

Manager authorized to release lock-up under Section 6:		▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. LLC ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ Fargo Securities, LLC ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇

Manager authorized to appoint counsel under Section 8(c):		▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. LLC ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ Fargo Securities, LLC ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇

Registration Statement File No.:		333-175386

Time of Sale Prospectus		1. Basic Prospectus 2. The preliminary prospectus supplement dated January 28, 2013 relating to the Shares 3. Rule 134 Term Sheet

Lock-up Restricted Period:		90 days after the date of this Agreement

Title of Shares to be purchased:		Common stock, no par value

Number of Firm Shares:		4,000,000

Number of Additional Shares		600,000

I-1


Purchase Price:		$30.88 a share

Initial Public Offering Price		$32.00 a share

Selling Concession:		$0.672 a share

Closing Date and Time:		February 4, 2013 10:00 a.m.

Closing Location:		Fried, Frank, Harris, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇

Address for Notices to Underwriters:		▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. LLC ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ Fargo Securities, LLC ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇

Address for Notices to the Forward Counterparty:		▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. LLC ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇

Address for Notices to the Company:		Piedmont Natural Gas Company, Inc. ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇

I-2

SCHEDULE II


Underwriter	Number of Company Firm Shares To Be Purchased		Number of Borrowed Firm Shares To Be Purchased		Number of Additional Shares To Be Purchased
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. LLC		750,000		250,000		150,000
▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC		750,000		250,000		150,000
▇▇▇▇▇ Fargo Securities, LLC		750,000		250,000		150,000
RBC Capital Markets, LLC		375,000		125,000		75,000
BB&T Capital Markets, a division of BB&T Securities		375,000		125,000		75,000

Total:		3,000,000		1,000,000		600,000

II-1

SCHEDULE III

FORM OF ADDITIONAL FORWARD SALE AGREEMENT

[Insert Trade Date]

To:	Piedmont Natural Gas Company, Inc.

▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇

▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇

From:

▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. LLC

▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇

▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇

Dear Sirs,

The purpose of this letter agreement (this “Confirmation”) is to confirm the terms and conditions of the transaction entered into between us on the Trade Date specified below (this “Transaction”). This Confirmation constitutes a “Confirmation” as referred to in the ISDA Master Agreement specified below.

The definitions and provisions contained in the 2000 ISDA Definitions (the “2000 Definitions”) and the 2002 ISDA Equity Derivatives Definitions (the “2002 Definitions” and, together with the 2000 Definitions, the “Definitions”), each as published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc., are incorporated into this Confirmation. In the event of any inconsistency between the 2002 Definitions and the 2000 Definitions, the 2002 Definitions will govern. In the event of any inconsistency between the Definitions and this Confirmation, this Confirmation will govern.

This Confirmation evidences a complete and binding agreement between Party A and Party B as to the terms of the Transaction to which this Confirmation relates. This Confirmation shall supplement, form a part of, and be subject to an agreement in the form of the 2002 ISDA Master Agreement (the “Agreement”) as if Party A and Party B had executed an agreement in such form on the Trade Date (but without any Schedule except for the election of the laws of the State of New York as the governing law). In the event of any inconsistency between provisions of that Agreement and this Confirmation, this Confirmation will prevail for the purpose of the Transaction to which this Confirmation relates. The parties hereby agree that no Transaction other than the Transaction to which this Confirmation relates shall be governed by the Agreement. For purposes of the 2002 Definitions, this Transaction is a Share Forward Transaction.

Party A and Party B each represents to the other that it has entered into this Transaction in reliance upon such tax, accounting, regulatory, legal, and financial advice as it deems necessary and not upon any view expressed by the other.

III-1

2.	The terms of the particular Transaction to which this Confirmation relates are as follows:

General Terms:


Party A:		▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. LLC

Party B:		Piedmont Natural Gas Company, Inc.

Trade Date:		[Insert date on which the Underwriters (as such term is defined in the Underwriting Agreement) exercise their option to purchase Additional Shares (as such term is defined in the Underwriting Agreement) pursuant to Section 2(b) of the Underwriting Agreement.]

Effective Date:		[Insert the Additional Closing Date (as such term is defined in the Underwriting Agreement) in respect of the Borrowed Additional Shares (as such term is defined in the Underwriting Agreement) to which this Confirmation relates.]

Base Amount:		Initially, [ ]¹ Shares. On each Settlement Date, the Base Amount shall be reduced by the number of Settlement Shares for such Settlement Date.

Maturity Date:		December 15, 2013 (or, if such date is not a Scheduled Trading Day, the next following Scheduled Trading Day).

Forward Price:		On the Effective Date, the Initial Forward Price, and on any other day, the Forward Price as of the immediately preceding calendar day, multiplied by the sum of (i) 1 and (ii) the Daily Rate for such day; provided that on each Forward Price Reduction Date, the Forward Price in effect on such date shall be the Forward Price otherwise in effect on such date, minus the Forward Price Reduction Amount for such Forward Price Reduction Date.

Initial Forward Price:		USD [ . ]² per Share.

Daily Rate:		For any day, (i)(A) USD-Federal Funds Rate for such day, minus (B) the Spread, divided by (ii) 365.

USD-Federal Funds Rate		For any day, the rate set forth for such day opposite the caption “Federal funds”, as such rate is displayed on the page “FedsOpen <Index> <GO>” on the BLOOMBERG Professional Service, or any successor page; provided that if no rate appears for any day on such page, the rate for the immediately preceding day for which a rate appears shall be used for such day.

Spread:		1.625%

Forward Price Reduction Date:		Each date (other than the Trade Date) set forth on Schedule I under the caption “Forward Price Reduction Date.”

Forward Price Reduction

Insert number of “Borrowed Additional Shares” (as such term is defined in the Underwriting Agreement) to be sold by the Forward Seller (as such term is defined in the Underwriting Agreement) to the Underwriters (as such term is defined in the Underwriting Agreement) pursuant to Section 2(b)(i) of the Underwriting Agreement.

²	Insert “Forward Price” under the Base Confirmation as of the Trade Date.

III-2


Amount:		For each Forward Price Reduction Date, the Forward Price Reduction Amount set forth opposite such date on Schedule I.

Shares:		Common stock, no par value per share, of Party B (also referred to herein as the “Issuer”) (Exchange identifier: “PNY”).

Exchange:		The New York Stock Exchange.

Related Exchange(s):		All Exchanges.

Clearance System:		DTC.

Calculation Agent:		▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. LLC

Settlement Terms:


Settlement Date:		Any Scheduled Trading Day following the Effective Date and up to and including the Maturity Date, as designated by (a) Party A pursuant to “Termination Settlement” below or (b) Party B in a written notice (a “Settlement Notice”) that satisfies the Settlement Notice Requirements and is delivered to Party A at least (i) three Scheduled Trading Days prior to such Settlement Date, which may be the Maturity Date, if Physical Settlement applies, and (ii) 30 Scheduled Trading Days prior to such Settlement Date, which may be the Maturity Date, if Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement applies; provided that (i) the Maturity Date shall be a Settlement Date if on such date the Base Amount is greater than zero, (ii) if Physical Settlement applies and a Settlement Date specified above (including a Settlement Date occurring on the Maturity Date) is not a Clearance System Business Day, the Settlement Date shall be the next following Clearance System Business Day, and (iii) if Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement applies and Party A shall have fully unwound its hedge during an Unwind Period by a date that is more than three Scheduled Trading Days prior to a Settlement Date specified above, Party A may, by written notice to Party B, specify any Scheduled Trading Day prior to such originally specified Settlement Date as the Settlement Date.

Settlement Shares:		With respect to any Settlement Date, a number of Shares, not to exceed the Base Amount, designated as such by Party B in the related Settlement Notice or by Party A pursuant to “Termination Settlement” below; provided that on the Maturity Date the number of Settlement Shares shall be equal to the Base Amount on such date.

Settlement:		Physical Settlement, Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement, at the election of Party B as set forth in a Settlement Notice that satisfies the Settlement Notice Requirements; provided that Physical Settlement shall apply (i) if no Settlement Method is validly selected, (ii) with respect to any Settlement Shares in respect of which Party A is unable, in its

III-3


		commercially reasonable judgment, to unwind its hedge by the end of the Unwind Period in a manner that, in the reasonable judgment of Party A, is consistent with the requirements for qualifying for the safe harbor provided by Rule 10b-18 under the Exchange Act or due to the lack of sufficient liquidity in the Shares on any Exchange Business Day during the Unwind Period, (iii) to any Termination Settlement Date (as defined below under “Termination Settlement”) or (iv) if the Maturity Date is a Settlement Date, in respect of such Settlement Date.

Settlement Notice
Requirements:		Notwithstanding any other provision hereof, a Settlement Notice delivered by Party B that specifies Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement will not be effective to establish a Settlement Date or require Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement unless Party B delivers to Party A with such Settlement Notice a representation signed by Party B substantially in the following form: “As of the date of this Settlement Notice, Party B is not aware of any material nonpublic information concerning itself or the Shares, and is designating the date contained herein as a Settlement Date in good faith and not as part of a plan or scheme to evade compliance with the federal securities laws.”

Unwind Period:		Each Exchange Business Day that is not a Suspension Day during the period from and including the first Exchange Business Day following the date Party B validly elects Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement in respect of a Settlement Date through the third Scheduled Trading Day preceding such Settlement Date (or the immediately preceding Exchange Business Day if such Scheduled Trading Day is not an Exchange Business Day), subject to “Termination Settlement” below. If any Exchange Business Day during an Unwind Period is a Disrupted Day, the Calculation Agent shall make commercially reasonable adjustments to the terms of this Transaction (including, without limitation, the Cash Settlement Amount, the number of Net Share Settlement Shares and the 10b-18 VWAP) to account for the occurrence of such Disrupted Day.

		The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that they have entered into a substantially identical forward transaction with respect to 1,000,000 Shares pursuant to a confirmation dated as of January 29, 2013 (the “Base Confirmation”). Party A and Party B agree that if Party B designates a Settlement Date under the Base Confirmation and for which Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement is applicable, and the resulting Unwind Period under the Base Confirmation coincides for any period of time with an Unwind Period for the Transaction (the “Matching Unwind Period”), then the Unwind Period under this Confirmation shall not commence (or, if the Unwind Period under this Confirmation has already commenced, such Unwind Period shall be suspended) until the Exchange Business Day immediately following the later of (i) the date Party A actually completes the unwind of its hedge with

III-4


		respect to the Base Confirmation in connection with the designation of such Settlement Date under the Base Confirmation, and (ii) the date the Matching Unwind Period ends.

Suspension Day:		Any Exchange Business Day on which Party A determines based on the advice of counsel that Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement may violate applicable securities laws. Party A shall notify Party B if it receives such advice from its counsel.

Market Disruption Event:		Section 6.3(a)(ii) of the 2002 Definitions is hereby amended by replacing clause (ii) in its entirety with “(ii) an Exchange Disruption, or” and inserting immediately following clause (iii) the phrase “; in each case that the Calculation Agent determines is material.”

Exchange Act:		The Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time.

Physical Settlement:		On any Settlement Date in respect of which Physical Settlement applies, Party B shall deliver to Party A through the Clearance System the Settlement Shares for such Settlement Date, and Party A shall deliver to Party B, by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account designated by Party B, an amount in cash equal to the Physical Settlement Amount for such Settlement Date, on a delivery versus payment basis. If, on any Settlement Date, the Shares to be delivered by Party B to Party A hereunder are not so delivered (the “Deferred Shares”), and a Forward Price Reduction Date occurs during the period from, and including, such Settlement Date to, but excluding, the date such Shares are actually delivered to Party A, then the portion of the Physical Settlement Amount payable by Party A to Party B in respect of the Deferred Shares shall be reduced by an amount equal to the Forward Price Reduction Amount for such Forward Price Reduction Date, multiplied by the number of Deferred Shares.

Physical Settlement Amount:		For any Settlement Date in respect of which Physical Settlement applies, an amount in cash equal to the product of (i) the Forward Price on such Settlement Date and (ii) the number of Settlement Shares for such Settlement Date.

Cash Settlement:		On any Settlement Date in respect of which Cash Settlement applies, if the Cash Settlement Amount for such Settlement Date is a positive number, Party A will pay such Cash Settlement Amount to Party B. If the Cash Settlement Amount is a negative number, Party B will pay the absolute value of such Cash Settlement Amount to Party A. Such amounts shall be paid on the Settlement Date.

Cash Settlement Amount:		For any Settlement Date in respect of which Cash Settlement applies, an amount determined by the Calculation Agent equal to the difference between (1) the product of (i) (A) the average

III-5


		Forward Price during the applicable Unwind Period (calculated assuming no reduction to the Forward Price for any Forward Price Reduction Date that occurs during the Unwind Period, except as set forth in clause (2) below), minus USD 0.03, minus (B) the average of the 10b-18 VWAP prices per Share on each Exchange Business Day during such Unwind Period, and (ii) the number of Settlement Shares for such Settlement Date, and (2) the product of (i) the Forward Price Reduction Amount for any Forward Price Reduction Date that occurs during such Unwind Period, and (ii) the number of Settlement Shares with respect to which Party A has not unwound its hedge as of such Forward Price Reduction Date.

Net Share Settlement:		On any Settlement Date in respect of which Net Share Settlement applies, if the number of Net Share Settlement Shares is a (i) negative number, Party A shall deliver a number of Shares to Party B equal to the absolute value of the Net Share Settlement Shares, or (ii) positive number, Party B shall deliver to Party A the Net Share Settlement Shares; provided that if Party A determines in its reasonable judgment that it would be required to deliver Net Share Settlement Shares to Party B, Party A may elect to deliver a portion of such Net Share Settlement Shares on one or more dates prior to the applicable Settlement Date.

Net Share Settlement Shares:		For any Settlement Date in respect of which Net Share Settlement applies, a number of Shares equal to (a) the number of Settlement Shares for such Settlement Date, minus (b) the number of Shares Party A actually purchases during the Unwind Period for a total purchase price equal to the difference between (1) the product of (i) the average Forward Price during the applicable Unwind Period (calculated assuming no reduction to the Forward Price for any Forward Price Reduction Date that occurs during the Unwind Period, except as set forth in clause (2) below), minus USD 0.03 and (ii) the number of Settlement Shares for such Settlement Date, and (2) the product of (i) the Forward Price Reduction Amount for any Forward Price Reduction Date that occurs during such Unwind Period and (ii) the number of Shares with respect to which Party A has not unwound its hedge as of such Forward Price Reduction Date.

10b-18 VWAP:		For any Exchange Business Day during the Unwind Period which is not a Suspension Day, the volume-weighted average price at which the Shares trade as reported in the composite transactions for the Exchange on such Exchange Business Day, excluding (i) trades that do not settle regular way, (ii) opening (regular way) reported trades on the Exchange on such Exchange Business Day, (iii) trades that occur in the last ten minutes before the scheduled close of trading on the Exchange on such Exchange Business Day and ten minutes before the scheduled close of the primary trading session in the market where the trade is effected, and (iv) trades on such Exchange Business Day that do not satisfy the requirements of

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		Rule 10b-18(b)(3), as determined in good faith by the Calculation Agent. Party B acknowledges that Party A may refer to the Bloomberg Page “PNY <Equity> AQR SEC” (or any successor thereto), in its discretion, for such Exchange Business Day to determine the 10b-18 VWAP.

Settlement Currency:		USD.

Failure to Deliver:		Inapplicable.

Adjustments:


Method of Adjustment:		Calculation Agent Adjustment; notwithstanding anything in the 2002 Definitions to the contrary, the Calculation Agent may make an adjustment pursuant to Calculation Agent Adjustment to any one or more of the Base Amount, the Forward Price and any other variable relevant to the settlement or payment terms of this Transaction.

Additional Adjustment:		If, in Party A’s commercially reasonable judgment, the actual cost to Party A (or an affiliate of Party A), over any one month period, of borrowing a number of Shares equal to the Base Amount to hedge its exposure to this Transaction exceeds a weighted average rate equal to 100 basis points per annum, the Calculation Agent shall reduce the Forward Price in order to compensate Party A for the amount by which such cost exceeded a weighted average rate equal to 100 basis points per annum during such period. The Calculation Agent shall notify Party B prior to making any such adjustment to the Forward Price and, upon the request of Party B, Party A shall provide an itemized list of its stock loan costs for the applicable one month period.

Account Details:


Payments to Party A:		To be advised under separate cover or telephone confirmed prior to each Settlement Date.

Payments to Party B:		To be advised under separate cover or telephone confirmed prior to each Settlement Date.

Delivery of Shares to Party A:		To be advised.

Delivery of Shares to Party B:		To be advised.

Other Provisions:

Conditions to Effectiveness:

The effectiveness of this Confirmation on the Effective Date shall be subject to (i) the condition that the representations and warranties of Party B contained in the Underwriting Agreement dated January 29, 2013 among Party B, Party A, and ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. LLC, ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇

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Securities LLC, and ▇▇▇▇▇ Fargo, LLC, on behalf of themselves and the several underwriters named in Schedule II thereof (the “Underwriting Agreement”) and any certificate delivered pursuant thereto by Party B are true and correct on the Effective Date as if made as of the Effective Date, (ii) the condition that Party B have performed all of the obligations required to be performed by it under the Underwriting Agreement on or prior to the Effective Date, (iii) the condition that Party B have delivered to Party A an opinion of counsel dated as of the Trade Date with respect to matters set forth in Section 3(a) of the Agreement, (iv) the satisfaction of all of the conditions set forth in Section 5 of the Underwriting Agreement, (v) the condition that the Underwriting Agreement shall not have been terminated pursuant to Section 10 thereof and (vi) the condition that neither of the following has occurred (A) Party A (or an affiliate thereof) is unable to borrow and deliver for sale a number of Shares equal to the Base Amount, or (B) in Party A’s commercially reasonable judgment either it is impracticable to do so or Party A (or an affiliate thereof) would incur a stock loan cost of more than a rate equal to 100 basis points per annum to do so (in which event, this Confirmation shall be effective but the Base Amount for this Transaction shall be the number of Shares Party A (or an affiliate thereof) is required to deliver in accordance with Section 2 of the Underwriting Agreement).

Representations and Agreements of Party B:

Party B (i) has such knowledge and experience in financial and business affairs as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of entering into this Transaction; (ii) has consulted with its own legal, financial, accounting and tax advisors in connection with this Transaction; and (iii) is entering into this Transaction for a bona fide business purpose.

Party B is not and has not been the subject of any civil proceeding of a judicial or administrative body of competent jurisdiction that could reasonably be expected to impair materially Party B’s ability to perform its obligations hereunder.

Party B will by the next succeeding New York Business Day notify Party A upon obtaining knowledge of the occurrence of any event that would constitute an Event of Default, a Potential Event of Default or a Potential Adjustment Event.

Additional Representations, Warranties and Agreements of Party B: Party B hereby represents and warrants to, and agrees with, Party A as of the date hereof that:

(a)

Any Shares, when issued and delivered in accordance with the terms of this Transaction, will be duly authorized and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, and the issuance thereof will not be subject to any preemptive or similar rights.

(b)

Party B has reserved and will keep available at all times, free from preemptive rights, out of its authorized but unissued Shares, solely for the purpose of issuance upon settlement of this Transaction as herein provided, the full number of Shares as shall be issuable at such time upon settlement of this Transaction. All Shares so issuable shall, upon such issuance, be accepted for listing or quotation on the Exchange.

(c)

Party B agrees to provide Party A at least 30 days’ written notice (an “Issuer Repurchase Notice”) prior to executing any repurchase of Shares by Party B or any of its subsidiaries (or entering into any contract that would require, or give the option to, Party B or any of its subsidiaries, to purchase or repurchase Shares), whether out of profits or capital or whether the consideration for such repurchase is cash, securities or otherwise (an “Issuer Repurchase”), that alone or in the aggregate would result in the Base Amount Percentage (as

III-8

defined below) being greater by 0.5% or more than the Base Amount Percentage at the time of the immediately preceding Issuer Repurchase Notice (or in the case of the first such Issuer Repurchase Notice, greater than the Base Amount Percentage as of the later of the date hereof or the immediately preceding Settlement Date, if any). The “Base Amount Percentage” as of any day is the fraction (1) the numerator of which is the Base Amount, plus the “Base Amount,” as such term is defined in the Base Confirmation, and (2) the denominator of which is the number of Shares outstanding on such day.

(d)

No filing with, or approval, authorization, consent, license registration, qualification, order or decree of, any court or governmental authority or agency, domestic or foreign, is necessary or required for the execution, delivery and performance by Party B of this Confirmation and the consummation of this Transaction (including, without limitation, the issuance and delivery of Shares on any Settlement Date) except (i) such as have been obtained under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), (ii) as may be required to be obtained under state securities laws and (iii) such as have been obtained from the North Carolina Utilities Commission.

(e)

Party B agrees not to make any Issuer Repurchase if, immediately following such Issuer Repurchase, the Base Amount Percentage would be equal to or greater than 8.0%.

(f)

Party B is not insolvent, nor will Party B be rendered insolvent as a result of this Transaction.

(g)

Neither Party B nor any of its affiliated purchasers (within the meaning of Rule 10b-18 under the Exchange Act) shall take or refrain from taking any action (including, without limitation, any direct purchases by Party B or any of its affiliated purchasers or any purchases by a party to a derivative transaction with Party B or any of its affiliated purchasers), either under this Confirmation, under an agreement with another party or otherwise, that might cause any purchases of Shares by Party A or any of its affiliates in connection with any Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement of this Transaction not to meet the requirements of the safe harbor provided by Rule 10b-18 under the Exchange Act if such purchases were made by Party B.

(h)

Party B will not engage in any “distribution” (as defined in Regulation M under the Exchange Act (“Regulation M”)) that would cause a “restricted period” (as defined in Regulation M) to occur during any Unwind Period.

(i)

Party B is an “eligible contract participant” (as such term is defined in Section 1a(18) of the Commodity Exchange Act, as amended).

(j)

In addition to any other requirements set forth herein, Party B agrees not to elect Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement if, in the reasonable judgment of either Party A or Party B, such settlement or Party A’s related market activity would result in a violation of the U.S. federal securities laws or any other federal or state law or regulation applicable to Party B.

(k)

Party B (i) is capable of evaluating investment risks independently, both in general and with regard to all transactions and investment strategies involving a security or securities; (ii) will exercise independent judgment in evaluating the recommendations of any broker-dealer or its associated persons, unless it has otherwise notified the broker-dealer in writing; and (iii) has total assets of at least USD 50 million as of the date hereof.

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Covenant of Party B:

The parties acknowledge and agree that any Shares delivered by Party B to Party A on any Settlement Date will be newly issued Shares and when delivered by Party A (or an affiliate of Party A) to securities lenders from whom Party A (or an affiliate of Party A) borrowed Shares in connection with hedging its exposure to this Transaction will be freely saleable without further registration or other restrictions under the Securities Act, in the hands of those securities lenders, irrespective of whether such stock loan is effected by Party A or an affiliate of Party A. Accordingly, Party B agrees that the Shares that it delivers to Party A on each Settlement Date will not bear a restrictive legend and that such Shares will be deposited in, and the delivery thereof shall be effected through the facilities of, the Clearance System.

Covenants of Party A:

(a)

Unless the provisions set forth below under “Private Placement Procedures” shall be applicable, Party A shall use any Shares delivered by Party B to Party A on any Settlement Date to return to securities lenders to close out open Share loans created by Party A or an affiliate of Party A in the course of Party A’s or such affiliate’s hedging activities related to Party A’s exposure under this Confirmation.

(b)

In connection with bids and purchases of Shares in connection with any Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement of this Transaction, Party A shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to conduct its activities, or cause its affiliates to conduct their activities, in a manner consistent with the requirements of the safe harbor provided by Rule 10b-18 under the Exchange Act, as if such provisions were applicable to such purchases.

Insolvency Filing:

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, in the Agreement or in the Definitions, upon any Insolvency Filing in respect of the Issuer, this Transaction shall automatically terminate on the date thereof without further liability of either party to this Confirmation to the other party (except for any liability in respect of any breach of representation or covenant by a party under this Confirmation prior to the date of such Insolvency Filing).

The parties hereto agree and acknowledge that (1) at any point prior to any Insolvency Filing in respect of the Issuer, Party B shall have the unilateral right to elect Physical Settlement of this Transaction pursuant to the provisions set forth above under the heading Settlement Terms; and (2) this Transaction shall automatically terminate on the date of any Insolvency Filing pursuant to the provisions set forth in the immediately preceding paragraph solely to the extent that Party B failed to elect Physical Settlement of this Transaction pursuant to the provisions set forth above under the heading Settlement Terms prior to the relevant Insolvency Filing.

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Extraordinary Dividends:

If an ex-dividend date for an Extraordinary Dividend occurs on or after the Trade Date and on or prior to the Maturity Date (or, if later, the last date on which Shares are delivered by Party B to Party A in settlement of this Transaction), Party B shall pay an amount, as determined by the Calculation Agent, in cash equal to the product of such Extraordinary Dividend and the Base Amount to Party A on the earlier of (i) the date on which such Extraordinary Dividend is paid by the Issuer to holders of record of the Shares or (ii) the Maturity Date. “Extraordinary Dividend” means the per Share amount of any cash dividend or distribution declared by the Issuer with respect to the Shares that is specified by the board of directors of the Issuer as an “extraordinary” dividend.

Acceleration Events:

The following events shall each constitute an “Acceleration Event”:

(a)

Stock Borrow Events. In the commercially reasonable judgment of Party A (A) Party A (or an affiliate of Party A) is unable to hedge Party A’s exposure to this Transaction because of the lack of sufficient Shares being made available for Share borrowing by lenders, or (B) Party A (or an affiliate of Party A) would incur a cost to borrow Shares to hedge its exposure to this Transaction that is greater than a rate equal to 175 basis points per annum (each, a “Stock Borrow Event”);

(b)

Dividends and Other Distributions. On any day occurring after the Trade Date Party B declares a distribution, issue or dividend to existing holders of the Shares of (i) any cash dividend (other than an Extraordinary Dividend) to the extent all cash dividends having an ex-dividend date during the period from and including any Forward Price Reduction Date (with the Trade Date being a Forward Price Reduction Date for purposes of this clause (b) only) to but excluding the next subsequent Forward Price Reduction Date exceeds, on a per Share basis, the Forward Price Reduction Amount set forth opposite the first date of any such period on Schedule I or (ii) share capital or securities of another issuer acquired or owned (directly or indirectly) by Party B as a result of a spin-off or other similar transaction or (iii) any other type of securities (other than Shares), rights or warrants or other assets, for payment (cash or other consideration) at less than the prevailing market price as determined by Party A;

(c)

ISDA Early Termination Date. Either Party A or Party B has the right to designate an Early Termination Date pursuant to Section 6 of the Agreement;

(d)

Other ISDA Events. The announcement of any event that if consummated, would result in an Extraordinary Event or the occurrence of any Change in Law or a Delisting; provided that in case of a Delisting, in addition to the provisions of Section 12.6(a)(iii) of the 2002 Definitions, it will also constitute a Delisting if the Exchange is located in the United States and the Shares are not immediately re-listed, re-traded or re-quoted on any of the New York Stock Exchange, the NASDAQ Global Select Market or the NASDAQ Global Market (or their respective successors); and provided further that the definition of “Change in Law” provided in Section 12.9(a)(ii) of the Equity Definitions is hereby amended by (i) immediately preceding the words “a party to such Transaction” in the fifth line of such Section, adding the following language “or (C) due to the effectiveness or implementation of the Wall Street Transparency and Accountability Act of 2010 (“WSTAA”),” (ii) replacing the phrase “the interpretation” in the third line thereof with the phrase “or public announcement of the formal or informal interpretation”, (iii) replacing the word “Shares” in the sixth line thereof with the words “Hedge Positions” and (iv) immediately following the word “Transaction” in clause (X) thereof, adding the phrase “in the manner contemplated by Party A on the Trade Date”; or

(e)

Ownership Event. In the reasonable judgment of Party A, on any day, the Share Amount for such day exceeds the Post-Effective Limit for such day (if any applies).

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For purposes of clause (e) above, the “Share Amount” as of any day is the number of Shares that Party A and any person whose ownership position would be aggregated with that of Party A (Party A or any such person, a “Party A Person”) under any law, rule, regulation or regulatory order (other than U.S. securities laws) that for any reason becomes applicable to ownership of Shares after the Trade Date (“Applicable Laws”), owns, beneficially owns, constructively owns, controls, holds the power to vote or otherwise meets a relevant definition of ownership of under the Applicable Laws, as determined by Party A in its reasonable discretion. The “Post-Effective Limit” means (x) the minimum number of Shares that would give rise to reporting or registration obligations or other requirements (including obtaining prior approval from any person or entity) of a Party A Person, or would result in an adverse effect on a Party A Person, under the Applicable Laws, as determined by Party A in its reasonable discretion, minus (y) 1% of the number of Shares outstanding.

Termination Settlement:

Upon the occurrence of any Acceleration Event, Party A shall have the right to designate, upon at least one Scheduled Trading Day’s notice, any Scheduled Trading Day following such occurrence to be a Settlement Date hereunder (a “Termination Settlement Date”) to which Physical Settlement shall apply, and to select the number of Settlement Shares relating to such Termination Settlement Date; provided that (i) in the case of an Acceleration Event arising out of an Ownership Event, the number of Settlement Shares so designated by Party A shall not exceed the number of Shares necessary to reduce the Share Amount to the Post-Effective Limit and (ii) in the case of an Acceleration Event arising out of a Stock Borrow Event the number of Settlement Shares so designated by Party A shall not exceed the number of Shares as to which such Stock Borrow Event exists. If, upon designation of a Termination Settlement Date by Party A pursuant to the preceding sentence, Party B fails to deliver the Settlement Shares relating to such Termination Settlement Date when due or otherwise fails to perform obligations within its control in respect of this Transaction, it shall be an Event of Default with respect to Party B and Section 6 of the Agreement shall apply. If an Acceleration Event occurs during an Unwind Period relating to a number of Settlement Shares to which Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement applies, then on the Termination Settlement Date relating to such Acceleration Event, notwithstanding any election to the contrary by Party B, Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement shall apply to the portion of the Settlement Shares relating to such Unwind Period as to which Party A has unwound its hedge and Physical Settlement shall apply in respect of (x) the remainder (if any) of such Settlement Shares and (y) the Settlement Shares designated by Party A in respect of such Termination Settlement Date.

Private Placement Procedures

If Party B is unable to comply with the provisions of “Covenant of Party B” above because of a change in law or a change in the policy of the Securities and Exchange Commission or its staff, or Party A otherwise determines that in its reasonable opinion any Settlement Shares to be delivered to Party A by Party B may not be freely returned by Party A or its affiliates to securities lenders as described under “Covenant of Party B” above, then delivery of any such Settlement Shares (the “Restricted Shares”) shall be effected pursuant to Annex A hereto, unless waived by Party A.

Rule 10b5-1:

It is the intent of Party A and Party B that following any election of Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement by Party B, the purchase of Shares by Party A during any Unwind Period comply with the requirements of Rule 10b5-1(c)(1)(i)(B) of the Exchange Act and that this Confirmation shall be interpreted to comply with the requirements of Rule 10b5-1(c).

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Party B acknowledges that (i) during any Unwind Period Party B does not have, and shall not attempt to exercise, any influence over how, when or whether to effect purchases of Shares by Party A (or its agent or affiliate) in connection with this Confirmation and (ii) Party B is entering into the Agreement and this Confirmation in good faith and not as part of a plan or scheme to evade compliance with federal securities laws including, without limitation, Rule 10b-5 promulgated under the Exchange Act.

Party B hereby agrees with Party A that during any Unwind Period Party B shall not communicate, directly or indirectly, any Material Non-Public Information (as defined herein) to any EDG Personnel (as defined below). For purposes of this Transaction, “Material Non-Public Information” means information relating to Party B or the Shares that (a) has not been widely disseminated by wire service, in one or more newspapers of general circulation, by communication from Party B to its shareholders or in a press release, or contained in a public filing made by Party B with the Securities and Exchange Commission and (b) a reasonable investor might consider to be of importance in making an investment decision to buy, sell or hold Shares. For the avoidance of doubt and solely by way of illustration, information should be presumed “material” if it relates to such matters as dividend increases or decreases, earnings estimates, changes in previously released earnings estimates, significant expansion or curtailment of operations, a significant increase or decline of orders, significant merger or acquisition proposals or agreements, significant new products or discoveries, extraordinary borrowing, major litigation, liquidity problems, extraordinary management developments, purchase or sale of substantial assets, or other similar information. For purposes of this Transaction, “EDG Personnel” means any employee on the trading side of ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. LLC and does not include ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇.

Maximum Share Delivery:

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Confirmation, in no event will Party B be required to deliver on any Settlement Date, whether pursuant to Physical Settlement, Net Share Settlement, Termination Settlement or any Private Placement Settlement, more than a number of Shares equal to two times the initial Base Amount to Party A, subject to reduction by the amount of any Shares delivered by Party B on any prior Settlement Date.

Transfer and Assignment:

Party A may assign or transfer any of its rights or delegate any of its duties hereunder to any affiliate of Party A or any entity organized or sponsored by Party A without the prior written consent of Party B. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Confirmation to the contrary requiring or allowing Party A to purchase, sell, receive or deliver any Shares or other securities to or from Party B, Party A may designate any of its affiliates to purchase, sell, receive or deliver such Shares or other securities and otherwise to perform Party A’s obligations in respect of this Transaction and any such designee may assume such obligations. Party A shall be discharged of its obligations to Party B to the extent of any such performance.

Indemnity

Party B agrees to indemnify Party A and its affiliates and their respective directors, officers, agents and controlling parties (Party A and each such affiliate or person being an “Indemnified Party”) from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities, joint and several, incurred by or asserted against such Indemnified Party arising out of, in connection with, or relating to, the execution or delivery of this Confirmation, the performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations under this Transaction, any breach of any covenant or representation made by Party B in this Confirmation or the Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, and Party B will reimburse any Indemnified Party for all reasonable expenses (including reasonable legal fees and expenses) as they are incurred in connection with

III-13

the investigation of, preparation for, or defense of any pending or threatened claim or any action or proceeding arising therefrom, whether or not such Indemnified Party is a party thereto. Party B will not be liable under this Indemnity paragraph to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense is found in a final and nonappealable judgment by a court to have resulted from Party A’s gross negligence or willful misconduct.

Notice


Non-Reliance:		Applicable

Additional Acknowledgments:		Applicable

Agreements and Acknowledgments
Regarding Hedging Activities:		Applicable

4.	The Agreement is further supplemented by the following provisions:

No Collateral or Setoff:

Notwithstanding Section 6(f) or any other provision of the Agreement or any other agreement between the parties to the contrary, the obligations of Party B hereunder are not secured by any collateral. Obligations under this Transaction shall not be set off against any other obligations of the parties, whether arising under the Agreement, this Confirmation, under any other agreement between the parties hereto, by operation of law or otherwise, and no other obligations of the parties shall be set off against obligations under this Transaction, whether arising under the Agreement, this Confirmation, under any other agreement between the parties hereto, by operation of law or otherwise, and each party hereby waives any such right of setoff. In calculating any amounts under Section 6(e) of the Agreement, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Agreement, (a) separate amounts shall be calculated as set forth in such Section 6(e) with respect to (i) this Transaction and (ii) all other Transactions, and (b) such separate amounts shall be payable pursuant to Section 6(d)(ii) of the Agreement.

Status of Claims in Bankruptcy:

Party A acknowledges and agrees that this confirmation is not intended to convey to Party A rights with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby that are senior to the claims of common stockholders in any U.S. bankruptcy proceedings of Party B; provided, however, that nothing herein shall limit or shall be deemed to limit Party A’s right to pursue remedies in the event of a breach by Party B of its obligations and agreements with respect to this Confirmation and the Agreement; and provided further, that nothing herein shall limit or shall be deemed to limit Party A’s rights in respect of any transaction other than this Transaction.

Limit on Beneficial Ownership:

Notwithstanding any other provisions hereof, Party A shall not have the “right to acquire” (within the meaning of NYSE Rule 312.04(g)) Shares hereunder and Party A shall not be entitled to take delivery of any Shares deliverable hereunder (in each case, whether in connection with the purchase of Shares on any Settlement Date or any Termination Settlement Date, any Private Placement Settlement or otherwise) to the extent (but only to the extent) that, after such receipt of any Shares hereunder, and after taking into account any Shares concurrently deliverable to Party A pursuant to the Base Confirmation, (i) the Share Amount would exceed the Post-Effective Limit or (ii) Party A and each person subject to aggregation of Shares with Party A under Section 13 or Section 16 of the Exchange Act and rules promulgated thereunder (the “Party A Group”) would directly or indirectly beneficially own (as such term is defined for purposes of Section 13 or Section 16 of the Exchange Act and rules promulgated thereunder) in excess of the lesser of (A)

III-14

8.0% of the then outstanding Shares or (B) [ ]³ Shares (the “Threshold Number of Shares”). Any purported delivery hereunder shall be void and have no effect to the extent (but only to the extent) that, after such delivery, and after taking into account any Shares concurrently deliverable to Party A pursuant to the Base Confirmation, (i) the Share Amount would exceed the Post-Effective Limit or (ii) Party A Group would directly or indirectly so beneficially own in excess of the Threshold Number of Shares. If any delivery owed to Party A hereunder is not made, in whole or in part, as a result of this provision, Party B’s obligation to make such delivery shall not be extinguished and Party B shall make such delivery as promptly as practicable after, but in no event later than one Exchange Business Day after, Party A gives notice to Party B that, after such delivery, and after taking into account any Shares concurrently deliverable to Party A pursuant to the Base Confirmation, (i) the Share Amount would not exceed the Post-Effective Limit and (ii) Party A Group would not directly or indirectly so beneficially own in excess of the Threshold Number of Shares.

In addition, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if any delivery owed to Party A hereunder is not made, in whole or in part, as a result of the immediately preceding paragraph, Party A shall be permitted to make any payment due in respect of such Shares to Party B in two or more tranches that correspond in amount to the number of Shares delivered by Party B to Party A pursuant to the immediately preceding paragraph.

Delivery of Cash:

For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in this Confirmation shall be interpreted as requiring Party B to deliver cash in respect of the settlement of this Transaction, except (i) as set forth above under “Extraordinary Dividends” or (ii) in circumstances where the required cash settlement thereof is permitted for classification of the contract as equity by ASC 815-40 (formerly EITF 00-19) as in effect on the Trade Date (including, without limitation, where Party B so elects to deliver cash or fails timely to elect to deliver Shares in respect of such settlement). For the avoidance of doubt, the preceding sentence shall not be construed as limiting any damages that may be payable by Party B as a result of breach of this Confirmation.

Wall Street Transparency and Accountability Act:

In connection with Section 739 of the WSTAA, the parties hereby agree that neither the enactment of WSTAA or any regulation under the WSTAA, nor any requirement under WSTAA or an amendment made by WSTAA, shall limit or otherwise impair either party’s otherwise applicable rights to terminate, renegotiate, modify, amend or supplement this Confirmation or the Agreement, as applicable, arising from a termination event, force majeure, illegality, increased costs, regulatory change or similar event under this Confirmation, the 2002 Definitions incorporated herein, or the Agreement (including, but not limited to, rights arising from Change in Law, any Acceleration Event or Illegality (as defined in the Agreement)).

³	Insert a number of Shares equal to 4.9% of the outstanding Shares on the date on which this Transaction is executed.

III-15

Miscellaneous:

(a)

Addresses for Notices. For the purpose of Section 12(a) of the Agreement:

Address for notices or communications to Party A:


Address:		▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. LLC

		▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇

		▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇

Attention:		▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇

Telephone Number:		(▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇

Facsimile Number:		(▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇

Address for notices or communications to Party B:


Address:		Piedmont Natural Gas Company, Inc.
		▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
		▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attention:		General Counsel
Telephone No.:		(▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇

(b)

Waiver of Right to Trial by Jury. Each party waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any right it may have to a trial by jury in respect of any suit, action or proceeding relating to this Confirmation. Each party (i) certifies that no representative, agent or attorney of the other party has represented, expressly or otherwise, that such other party would not, in the event of such a suit action or proceeding, seek to enforce the foregoing waiver and (ii) acknowledges that it and the other party have been induced to enter into this Confirmation by, among other things, the mutual waivers and certifications herein.

Bankruptcy Code Acknowledgements.

The parties hereto intend for:

(a)

this Transaction to be a “securities contract” as defined in Section 741(7) of Title 11 of the United States Code (the “Bankruptcy Code”), qualifying for the protections under Section 555 of the Bankruptcy Code;

(b)

a party’s right to liquidate this Transaction and to exercise any other remedies upon the occurrence of any Event of Default under the Agreement with respect to the other party to constitute a “contractual right” as defined in the Bankruptcy Code;

(c)

Party A to be a “financial institution” within the meaning of Section 101(22) of the Bankruptcy Code; and

(d)

all payments for, under or in connection with this Transaction, all payments for the Shares and the transfer of such Shares to constitute “settlement payments” as defined in the Bankruptcy Code.

Hedging Acknowledgements.

Party B acknowledges that:

(a)

during the term of this Transaction, Party A (and affiliates thereof) may buy or sell Shares or other securities or buy or sell options or futures contracts or enter into swaps or other derivative securities in order to establish, adjust or unwind its hedge position with respect to this Transaction;

(b)

Party A (and affiliates thereof) may also be active in the market for the Shares and Share-linked transactions other than in connection with hedging activities in relation to this Transaction;

III-16

(c)

Party A shall make its own determination as to whether, when or in what manner any hedging or market activities in Party B’s securities shall be conducted and shall do so in a manner that it deems appropriate to hedge its price and market risk with respect to the 10b-18 VWAP;

(d)

any market activities of Party A (and affiliates thereof) with respect to the Shares may affect the market price and volatility of the Shares, as well as the 10b-18 VWAP, each in a manner that may be adverse to Party B; and

(e)

this Transaction is a derivatives transaction in which it has granted Party A a forward purchase right; Party A may purchase shares for its own account at an average price that may be greater than, or less than, the price paid by Party B under the terms of this Transaction.

Severability.

If any term, provision, covenant or condition of this Confirmation, or the application thereof to any party or circumstance, shall be held to be invalid or unenforceable in whole or in part for any reason, the remaining terms, provisions, covenants, and conditions hereof shall continue in full force and effect as if this Confirmation had been executed with the invalid or unenforceable provision eliminated, so long as this Confirmation as so modified continues to express, without material change, the original intentions of the parties as to the subject matter of this Confirmation and the deletion of such portion of this Confirmation will not substantially impair the respective benefits or expectations of parties to this Agreement; provided, however, that this severability provision shall not be applicable if any provision of Section 2, 5, 6 or 13 of the Agreement (or any definition or provision in Section 14 to the extent that it relates to, or is used in or in connection with any such Section) shall be so held to be invalid or unenforceable.

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]

III-17

Please confirm that the foregoing correctly sets forth the terms of our agreement by signing and returning this Confirmation.


Yours faithfully,

▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & CO. LLC

By:
Name:
Title:


Confirmed as of the date first written above:

PIEDMONT NATURAL GAS COMPANY, INC.

By:
Name:
Title:

III-18

EXHIBIT A

[FORM OF LOCK-UP LETTER]

[ ], 2013

▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. LLC

▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC

▇▇▇▇▇ Fargo Securities, LLC

As managers for the several Underwriters named in Schedule II to the

Underwriting Agreement (as defined below)

c/o Morgan ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. LLC

▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇

▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇

c/o ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC

▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇

▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇

c/o Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇

▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The undersigned understands that ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. LLC (“▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇”), ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC (“▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇”) and ▇▇▇▇▇ Fargo Securities, LLC (“▇▇▇▇▇ Fargo”) propose to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with Piedmont Natural Gas Company, Inc., a North Carolina corporation (the “Company”), providing for the public offering (the “Public Offering”) by the several Underwriters, including ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ Fargo and ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ (the “Underwriters”), of 4,000,000 shares (the “Shares”) of the common stock, no par value, of the Company (the “Common Stock”).

To induce the Underwriters that may participate in the Public Offering to continue their efforts in connection with the Public Offering, the undersigned hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ Fargo and ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, during the period commencing on the date hereof and ending 90 days after the date of the final prospectus (the “Restricted Period”) relating to the Public Offering (the “Prospectus”), (1) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock beneficially owned (as such term is used in Rule

A-1

13d-3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)), by the undersigned or any other securities so owned convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or (2) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (a) transfers of shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into Common Stock as a bona fide gift, or (b) distributions of shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into Common Stock to limited partners or stockholders of the undersigned; provided that in the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant to clause (a) or (b), (i) each donee or distributee shall sign and deliver a lock-up letter substantially in the form of this letter and (ii) no filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act, reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of shares of Common Stock, shall be required or shall be voluntarily made during the Restricted Period, or (c) the establishment of a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of shares of Common Stock, provided that (i) such plan does not provide for the transfer of Common Stock during the Restricted Period and (ii) to the extent a public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act, if any, is required of or voluntarily made by or on behalf of the undersigned or the Company regarding the establishment of such plan, such announcement or filing shall include a statement to the effect that no transfer of Common Stock may be made under such plan during the Restricted Period. In addition, the undersigned agrees that, without the prior written consent of ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ Fargo and ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, during the Restricted Period, make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of any shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock. The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of the undersigned’s shares of Common Stock except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.

The undersigned understands that the Company and the Underwriters are relying upon this agreement in proceeding toward consummation of the Public Offering. The undersigned further understands that this agreement is irrevocable and shall be binding upon the undersigned’s heirs, legal representatives, successors and assigns.

Whether or not the Public Offering actually occurs depends on a number of factors, including market conditions. Any Public Offering will only be made pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement, the terms of which are subject to negotiation between the Company and the Underwriters.

Very truly yours,

(Name)

A-2

PIEDMONT NATURAL GAS COMPANY, INC. COMMON STOCK, NO PAR VALUE UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

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