If you don't put on a winter cover...how do you handle power outages that might occur during winter?

This is our 3rd season with this pool. (21 foot round in ground) We've always used a solid winter cover because the people that lived here before us left it uncovered all year. About 5 years ago we had a terrible ice storm and they were without power for a week. Lines froze and broke.

I live in central NC so ice storms happen.

I need to buy a new winter cover for this winter and would love to just keep it open instead. I'm not sure this is possible.

Our pool lines are very close to the soil surface as I'm told they hit granite when they were digging out for the pool. The top 1-2 feet sit out of the ground. http://photos.imageevent.com/kcleave...e/PICT0007.JPG

Wondering what the rest of you do before I buy a new cover for the winter....