We discuss a new type of excess noise strongly sensitive to non-homogeneous
Joule heating of random resistor network and associated with local sources
of thermal noise. The evolution of the network towards an electrical break
down of conductor-insulator type is then studied by using a biased percolat
ion model and it is analysed in terms of an excess-noise temperature. Monte
Carlo simulation results show a significant increase of the excess-noise t
emperature over the average temperature of the network. Remarkably the exce
ss-noise temperature scales with the resistance with, an exponent of about
3. The predictivity of the model can be tested on thin film resistors where
the determination of the excess noise temperature should provide a valuabl
e indicator of the defectiveness of the film.