Australia’s energy regulator is warning of the possibility of blackouts as sweltering east coast residents turn on their air conditioners to beat the heat.
The energy regulator is scrambling to shore up electricity supplies after issuing a blackout warning as the east coast is hit with a late spring heatwave.
The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) issued its most severe ‘lack of reserve’ notice, forecasting a shortfall in electricity in NSW between 3.30pm and 5pm on Wednesday.
That coincides with the peak of the state’s heatwave and predicted highs of nearly 40C across much of Sydney‘s western suburbs, leading people to turn on their air conditioners as they return home in the afternoon.
The declaration urged industry to generate as much power as possible and restore all available powerlines across the grid to meet the rocketing demand.
‘AEMO is working with industry to manage electricity reliability during high-demand, heatwave conditions in NSW with major power stations unavailable due to forced and planned outages,’ a spokesman for the operator said.
‘In addition, AEMO is looking to procure additional reserves … to best manage low electricity supply forecasts this afternoon and early evening.’
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued severe heatwave warnings for large swathes of the NSW coast, including the Sydney metropolitan area, the Hunter region and the south coast.
Warnings also remain in place for parts of ACT and Queensland, including an extreme heatwave for Australia’s far-north tip.
Federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen insisted there was enough electricity in reserve to get through Wednesday, adding the system was acting as intended.
He noted five coal-plant units were down, with only three of those outages expected.
‘Loss-of-reserve notices are not a blackout … they are an indication AEMO is getting more electricity into the system, that is working,’ he said.
‘Obviously, AEMO is always on the lookout for unexpected events which they need to prepare for, they’ve put all the necessary protections in place as they can at this point.’
Sydney’s city centre is predicted to reach 34C on Wednesday but the western suburbs are set to cop it worse, with 39C forecast in Richmond and Penrith and a 38C peak tipped in Parramatta.
The western Sydney forecasts are more than 10C above November average maximums, weather bureau senior meteorologist Miriam Bradbury said.
‘While anomalously high, these temperatures are not expected to break any records (but) it’s more the duration of the warm conditions, including those warm nights, that is more significant,’ she said.
‘It’s also worth noting that the ‘feels like’ temperatures will be oppressive due to the high humidity levels.’
Rain is predicted to hit eastern NSW on Thursday, although warm, humid conditions will persist.
