‘Toss of coin’ for Australian grid to get through summer without major outage, expert warns

As election looms, Albanese government will be hoping the national electricity market does not buckle and black out in next three months

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It was telling Australia’s energy market operator delayed its “summer readiness” media statement last week because its managers were busy ensuring the New South Wales grid got through spring without mass blackouts.

Politicians had left it until noon on Wednesday to plead with people to throttle their air-conditioners to 26C and delay washing clothes or dishes for five hours, to “help maintain a reliable [power] supply for NSW consumers”.

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