Aussies Told to ‘Temporarily Reduce’ Power Use During Hot Weather

The New South Wales (NSW) state government issued a request to citizens urging them to “temporarily reduce non-essential use of electricity” on Dec. 14, as hot temperatures put pressure on the electricity grid. With temperatures forecast to hit 40 degrees Celsius in parts of the country’s most populous state, including Sydney, the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) said it expected power use to peak between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. “To prepare for this, AEMO has notified market participants, which may result in increased generation or reduced consumption,” the NSW Department of Planning and Environment said in a Dec. 14 statement. “The NSW government is also taking steps to reduce demand. The Government Energy Action Response protocol has been activated and will see NSW government agencies reduce electricity use.”...