Victorian cities faced power cuts to ensure NSW made it through big heatwave

As NSW suffered through its record-breaking heatwave this month, with power supplies stretched to breaking point, the head of Australia's main electricity grid faced a choice: keep the airconditioning running in Sydney, or keep the lights on in Victoria.

NSW had a near miss earlier this month as
heatwave conditions strained the state's
electricity supplies.

Tony Marxsen, chairman of the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), picked up the phone to the Victorian government on the afternoon of Friday February 10 to warn that people in western Victoria might have to endure blackouts to ensure a key transmission line to NSW could keep operating at full capacity.

Read Peter Hannam’s story in today’s Melbourne Age - “Victorian cities faced power cuts to ensure NSW made it through big heatwave.”