New South Wales is braced for another day of blackout warnings and scorching temperatures as the pre-summer heatwave peaks.
A heatwave warning is in place for most of the NSW coast, with temperatures in Sydney expected to hit 39 degrees today and 34 in the CBD.
The Australian Energy Market Operator previously issued blackout warnings, saying energy reserves were limited as millions turned on the air-conditioning.
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There were several power outages in Sydney yesterday, but Ausgrid said they were not believed to be heat-related.
Energy expert Tony Wood from the Grattan Institute said there were several factors in play that left Australia's most populous state facing blackout risks in November.
He said climate change meant Sydney was seeing weather conditions more typical of January or February in November, while the ageing energy grid required ever-more maintenance.
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"We have not been getting on with has to be done," he told Today.
"What has to be done to ensure that we do have a transition to an energy system, which has exactly all the features that we all want and need, and we're not there yet."
He said it was unlikely Australia would experience massive state-wide blackouts, but that these troubles would continue until the transition was closer to complete.
NSW can expect some relief from the heat later this week, with temperatures forecast to drop slightly to 30 tomorrow and then to a top in the mid-20s for Friday and the weekend.
Rain is also forecast, with showers on Thursday moving to heavier falls on Friday and Saturday.
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