Electric companies like AEP Texas and Magic Valley Electric Cooperative said they are on standby this weekend to make sure residents' power stays on during the cold front.

"A lot of consumers will start turning on heaters, and that could potentially put a strain on the electrical grid," said Abraham Quiroga, Business and Employee Development Division Manager for Magic Valley Electric Co-op. "So, we do ask members to reduce energy consumption as much as possible."

Quiroga says Valley residents need to have a plan in place for the cold.

He says emergency kits are an important element to have at hand in case the power goes out. He also recommends practicing space heater safety by making sure the heater is more than three feet away from furniture and curtains. 

AEP Texas Spokesperson Eladio Jaimez said simple things like making sure your furnace and duct work are inspected annually, checking your weather stripping around windows and doors and using caulk to fill anywhere air might escape can make a big difference in helping keep your home heated during times like this.

Jaimez said small tips like making sure your home is well insulated can help it stay warm and not break the bank on your energy bill.

You can also save money and energy by setting your thermostat to 68 degrees when you're at your house. If you need to leave for long periods of time, you can lower the thermostat by a few degrees, so you're not heating an empty house.

To report an outage for AEP, you can call 1-877-373-4858 or visit: https://www.aeptexas.com/outages/report/

To report an outage for Magic Valley Electric Co-op, you can call 1-866-225-5683 or visit: https://magicvalley.coop/map/report/