Heating Up: Warning of Blackout Risk for East Coast

Surf rescue workers instruct swimmers to move away from the northern end of the beach at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia on January 16, 2022. Jenny Evans/Getty Images

Residents in parts of eastern Australia face the prospect of blackouts as people reach for their air conditioners in predicted hot weather during a period of planned coal-plant outages.

The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) issued a warning on Monday about blackout risks in New South Wales (NSW) on Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday when temperatures are set to soar to 40 Celsius in parts of Sydney.