Major power stations have left people without power as NSW residents continue to swelter through a heatwave, with temperatures tipped to reach up to 39C across parts of the state.

Some Sydney suburbs have already hit a scorching 37 degrees with even hotter temperatures to come as a heatwave grips two states. The heatwave has already struck western Sydney, with Penrith reaching 37 degrees at 1.

Australia’s biggest state looks to have narrowly avoided a widespread power break down, but only after residents, businesses and government employees took steps to “reduce demand”, the state’s energy minister has said.