Thousands of residents in southern New South Wales woke up without power today, just as the state’s heatwave continues to sizzle. More than 6,000 customers in areas like Wagga Wagga, Culcairn, Henty, Uranquinty, and Holbrook were left in the dark after storms caused a fault on the Transgrid transmission line between Wagga Wagga and Albury.
Thankfully, crews were quick to act. By 9 a.m., power was temporarily restored through a back feeder line. Essential Energy assured locals that the outage wasn’t heat-related, even though warnings about potential power cuts have been issued across NSW this week. “The isolation was to keep the community safe,” a spokesperson explained, while also reminding customers to update their contact details to get outage updates via SMS.
Meanwhile, the heatwave is at its peak, with temperatures climbing fast across the state. By mid-morning, Sydney Airport hit a scorching 33.7°C, and suburbs like Penrith and Bankstown weren’t far behind at over 32°C. By lunchtime, Sydney Airport neared 37°C, the western suburbs reached 36°C, and the city itself stayed a relatively cooler 29°C.
The Australian Energy Market Operator had earlier issued warnings about limited energy reserves as air-conditioners worked overtime. While there were a few outages in Sydney yesterday, Ausgrid confirmed they weren’t heat-related.
Tony Wood from the Grattan Institute shed some light on the challenges, pointing to climate change and an ageing energy grid that needs frequent maintenance. He noted that November in Sydney is starting to feel more like January or February, adding, “We’re not yet where we need to be with the energy transition. It’s a work in progress.”
Thankfully, relief is on the way. Temperatures are expected to drop slightly tomorrow, with highs around 30°C, and the weekend should bring cooler weather in the mid-20s. Rain is also on the horizon, with showers predicted Thursday and heavier rain expected Friday and Saturday.
For now, stay cool, stay safe, and look forward to that much-needed break from the heat!
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