TULSA, Okla. — With the frigid temperatures expected in the upcoming forecast, you might be wondering, “will this impact my heat and electricity?”
With the type of weather in store for us, losing power would be someone’s worst nightmare, and while OG&E is preparing, they also ask customers to also have a plan in case power does go out.
Crews at OG&E are constantly monitoring weather forecasts and preparing for winter weather like what we are about to get starts well before this week.
“We actually do winter weather preparations before any freezing temperatures get here. They're typically done by early November, and that's the case this year, so our power generating plants are ready to go for this round of the weather," said Aaron Cooper, OG&E manager of corporate communications.
Cooper also says their power plants are weatherized and they’ve made sure their fuel capacity will meet the demand to come.
Plus, they have crews ready to respond to any impacts this event may have on the electric grid.
With that said, if the power does go out being prepared is important. OG&E has a checklist of what you should have handy, it includes essentials like flashlights, batteries and things you may not think about like pet food and medications. Also, having cash on hand and making sure your cell phone is charged are important to remember.
Having a back up generator may also be an option for you and your family. If you have one, or are thinking about getting one, be sure to read the manufactures instructions carefully and remember you never want to run a generator inside your home.
Now that you're prepared, you might be worried about the potentially high bills from cranking up that heat…. Well, OG&E says you can manage your electric bill.
“Make sure your home is weatherized and that you take care of those seals around doors and windows," Cooper said. "If you can lower the thermostat a degree or two to whatever you may be comfortable that makes a really big impact on your energy usage and your bill after this around the weather.”
2 News also reached out to the Public Service of Oklahoma to see what they are doing to prepare. While we wait to hear back, here are some more tips from their website.
They suggest homeowners replace dirty air filters as they restrict airflow making an HVAC system work harder. Another thing they suggest is that you use your curtains. They say opening them during the day to allow the sun to heat the home is a good idea, and closing them when the sun goes down will act as a barrier and prevent cold chills from cooling the home.
At the moment, OG&E says there are no calls from the southwest power pool for any conservation of energy.
But again, they are keeping an eye on the weather for the potential of power outages later this week.
Leading up to those frigid days, we will be covering more stories on how to prepare and handle the cold when it comes to your car, your home, and yourself.
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