In locations where temperatures hit 40 degrees, planned work is cancelled as part of the normal preparations for extreme weather, unless customers agree for it to go ahead.

Ausgrid chief operating officer Trevor Armstrong said planned works would proceed in Sydney and on the Central Coast but there are a number of cancellations in the Hunter.

“We have cancelled planned jobs at Raymond Terrace, Heddon Greta, McCullys Gap, Yango Creek and Lambs Valley,” he explained.

“All of those jobs would have required power being interrupted to customers and in very hot conditions like those today we don’t want to leave customers without electricity for extended periods.

“In other locations where customers have agreed to work continuing we will push ahead with planned outages for maintenance on the network.

“The hot weather can adversely affect medical and life-support customers and, in areas where works are planned and temperatures are forecast to reach 37 degrees, we are continuing to ensure we look after their welfare by contacting them to ensure they have all the information they need.

“Ausgrid’s network is well placed to respond to today’s hot conditions and our emergency crews are on standby to respond to any unplanned outages and restore power as quickly as possible.”

There are some simple tips people can follow to beat the heat today while also managing the impact on your electricity bills:

· Use natural breezes to stay cool by opening doors and windows on opposite sides of your home.

· Using air conditioners less could save a family of four up to 10% on their electricity bill.

· Use a fan for cooling. A ceiling fan costs about two cents an hour to run, or about $6 over summer. Air conditioning the same space can cost between 30 and 40 cents an hour and add $100-150 to your bill.

· Set your air conditioner between 23 to 26 degrees. Each extra degree of cooling can add up to 10 per cent to your running costs.

· If you are using air conditioning remember to close doors and windows to keep the cool air in.

You can find more helpful advice at ausgrid.com.au/efficiency