Dec. 21—Norman residents are bracing for subfreezing temperatures caused by a polar vortex that could result in a potential spike to utility bills.

Representatives from Oklahoma Natural Gas, OG&E, and Norman Utility Billing have issued statements on how to prepare for the arctic dip.

Jason Cleary, manager, public relations and digital marketing for Oklahoma Natural Gas, said that the organization is prepared for the polar vortex.

"We are ready and prepared. We are monitoring the storm," he said.

Currently, the cost of gas per dekatherm is $7.732, which is down from August when it peaked at $11.105. The price was $3.485 in February 2021 during the last polar vortex.

Cleary said that prices are fixed by month, so the rate will not increase because of dipping temperatures. Oklahoma Natural Gas has been stockpiling gas during this past summer so it won't run out of supply during the winter.

"It's a much different situation than what happened in that storm," he said. "That was a once in a century situation. We will only see a few days of very cold weather."

To save money, Cleary recommends lowering the thermostat to a comfortable level, sealing leaks around doors and windows, closing blinds and curtains, changing or cleaning air filters, holding off on doing chores, and installing gaskets on electrical switches and outlets.

Aaron Cooper, manager of corporate communications of OG&E, also recommended lowering thermostats.

"People can set their temperatures to a lower, comfortable setting and keep it there. For every degree you lower your thermostat, you can lower your bill up to 2% in energy costs," he said.

Cooper said that OG&E's power lines are ready for colder temperatures, and the company has plans to respond if the weather impacts the electrical grid or causes weather outages.

"Our crews are ready to get out into the elements carefully and safely to turn off the power if any outages occur," he said. "Our checks and preparations were completed in early November, so everything is set and ready to go at this time."

He recommended that residents watch the weather and prepare an emergency kit with essential items such as flashlights, batteries, food, medications and bottled water, and make plans in case that power goes down.

Cooper said electricity prices don't fluctuate like gas prices, but for those wanting to save money on their utility bills, they should unplug appliances when not using them, like TVs, computers, and even toaster ovens because they draw energy, even when they are turned off. They can also save money by using LED lights, especially when putting up holiday lights.

"Another thing is that when cooking, people use ventilating fans. Those can suck all the warm air out of the house if you leave it on too long," he said.

Chris Mattingly, utilities director for the City of Norman, offered his own advice to customers. He said that every year, a handful of locals don't adequately prepare for cold temperatures, which results in pipes bursting.

"Open your cabinets under your sink so the pipes can get warm air around them. If you have a troubled area, drip water to keep it from freezing," he said.

Raised houses, such as trailers, and older-style homes that are built without slabs are most susceptible to freezing pipes. For those that have not properly winterized their homes, it is a good idea to drip their sinks, especially below 10 degrees.

"Another good one is to put styrofoam on the outdoor faucets," Mattingly said.

This protects the interior of the home from incoming cold temperatures.