Turin, a city in northwestern Italy, is grappling with power blackouts as a result of an early heatwave that has strained its electricity network. The outages, affecting multiple districts, have led to traffic congestion due to non-functional traffic lights. Mayor Stefano Lo Russo stated that the city's electricity grid is outdated, and the combination of rising temperatures and increased electricity consumption has revealed its vulnerabilities. Local utility company Iren, which provides power to approximately 650,000 customers, acknowledged that the heatwave's arrival was unexpected, causing thermal stress on the cables. In response to the situation, Iren has announced a €515 million ($598 million) plan to modernize the grid by 2030. However, the increasing frequency of heatwaves complicates the implementation of these upgrades. The Italian Air Force's weather service has predicted high temperatures of 32 degrees Celsius (89.6°F) for Turin, prompting the municipality to open public spaces equipped with fans and air conditioning to help residents cope with the heat.