Europe is in the middle of a record-breaking heat wave, and the grid is being pushed to its limits as people turn to fans and air-conditioning to try to stay cool. Some power plan

A heat-related power outage left around 68,000 homes without electricity in western France as record-breaking heat sweeps Europe.

Europe’s electricity system is under mounting pressure from an intense heat wave, with extreme swings in power prices as soaring temperatures drive up demand and curb output.

Sweltering temperatures are shattering records across Europe as the continent battles a deadly heat wave. On Tuesday and Wednesday, France endured its hottest days in history, with western regions reaching highs between 39°C and 43°C (102°F and 109°F).

Thousands of schools across France (and elsewhere in Europe) have closed or changed hours, but others, also without air-conditioning, have remained open. The heat has disrupted train travel, spiked utility prices,

Record-breaking heat that’s blanketed western Europe for more than a week is set to sweep east this weekend, with forecasts for searing temperatures across Germany, Poland, Austria and the Czech Republic.

More than a dozen countries have issued urgent heat warnings. France saw its highest average temperature ever on Tuesday.