Having the power go out in cold weather isn't bad, at least in the areas I have lived. Most areas that get cold, also burn wood for home heating. Wood burning stoves give you better heat then anything else IMO. You can also cook on it, if you don't have gas stoves. And it is a benefit when it comes to refrigerated/frozen stuff. Just throw it in a cooler, and drop it in the snow, no worries of going bad. We always have oil lamps around too. It certainly isn't as convenient as electricity, but you can manage pretty good.
Everything is natural gas where I am. Power can be out, and I can still take a hot shower, cook on the stove, and use my wall heater. Or better yet, just start a fire in the woodstove. Fridge/freezer is the only problem, but if it's cold, no worries. Kind of fun too, like a free camping trip without taking a vacation in a sense. And everything is so quiet.
