With the drop in temperatures this week, Pharr resident Senobia López says she and her husband are worried about the shock they’ll receive in their next light bill after using their heater.

“It stays on all day because of the cold weather,” López said. “Then we start to get worried.”

Emily Beagle, an energy and power grid expert at the University of Texas at Austin, said Texas' need for natural gas to power generation plants will be reflected on energy bills this winter. 

Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration shows that the average cost for natural gas is expected to reach more than $6 per thermal unit through March 2023.

It’s a price that hasn't been since the end of 2009 during the last recession.

“So those high natural gas prices are really driving higher electricity prices,” Beagle said.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration said demand for liquefied natural gas used to heat your home and stoves is also expected to go up.

A list of recommendations to lower your energy bill can be found online.