Power may be cut from 100,000 Victorian homes and businesses as the state struggles through a severe heatwave.
The mercury peaked at more than 40 degrees throughout much of the state on Wednesday, the second day of an extended hot spell tipped to continue until Friday night.
Charlton, in the state's northwest, was the hottest place in Victoria, reaching a scorching maximum of 46.2C.
Energy and Resources Minister Nicholas Kotsiras said forced blackouts were possible as the high temperatures put the national electricity network under serious strain.
The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) was considering reducing the supply to Victoria, with the potential to affect 100,000 homes and businesses.
A statement from AEMO said Victoria and South Australia had this week recorded their highest demand for electricity since 2009.
The Bureau of Meteorology issued a severe thunderstorm warning for much of the southern half of Victoria, with damaging wind and possible hail predicted for Melbourne, Ballarat, Geelong, Traralgon, Bairnsdale and Orbost on Wednesday evening.
But the storms aren't likely to cool Victorians down, with Melbourne set to reach 44C on Thursday and 42C on Friday, before a southerly change comes through.
Ambulance crews on Tuesday and Wednesday responded to dozens of cases of heat stroke and a larger than usual number of heart attacks.
Ambulance Victoria operations manager Paul Holman said there were 11 children left in cars on Tuesday, and five had to be freed from cars on Wednesday.
At least nine people suffered cardiac arrest and 62 people needed treatment for heat stress on Wednesday, Ambulance Victoria said.
Among the cases of heat stress in recent days were people collapsing while exercising outdoors, including joggers and people on golf courses and bowling greens.
If the temperature passes 40C in Melbourne on Thursday and Friday, it will be the first time the city has endured such a heatwave since 1908, when there was a five-day streak above 40C.
Dangerous bushfire conditions are expected to continue, with a total fire ban declared for the state on Thursday and a similar declaration likely on Friday.
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