Winter demand patterns dominated the NEM overnight, with NSW spot prices reaching $122/MWh at 7,602 MW as the classic evening ramp took hold, and SA sustaining prices above $160/MWh between 03:05–05:55 AEST before easing to $124/MWh by 06:30. Victoria printed $110/MWh at 4,917 MW — above what demand alone would typically imply, reflecting broader system tightness. QLD averaged $66/MWh across the 24-hour period but touched $105/MWh by morning; notably, it recorded brief negative prices of −$2.50/MWh across two intervals at 04:05–04:10 during a period of overlapping high solar (~2,650 MW) and coal-fired output (~3,015 MW). Watch the evening peak across the eastern seaboard for continued price elevation as winter demand builds.
Tasmania is today's standout. The state achieved 100% renewable penetration during the evening, with hydro and wind combining for 1,097–1,263 MW and no dispatchable gas required. Regional prices held remarkably steady at around $87/MWh throughout. The notable caveat: constraint T_BLINK_TV_NGZ bound at a shadow price of $7.31 million — an exceptionally high marginal value indicating a severe physical network limitation, even as regional reference prices showed little movement. Heywood (V–SA) was simultaneously running at 99.2% of its export limit (529 MW of 533 MW), underlining the interconnector pressure shaping SA pricing on the day.
The WEM was not quiet today. A moderate price spike to $251/MWh occurred in the 11:10 trading interval, a sharp $56/MWh jump from the preceding interval. Prices had been climbing gradually from $183/MWh over the prior 25 minutes before the spike. The 24-hour WA1 average of $138/MWh was the highest of any region tracked today, reflecting sustained wholesale pressure well above NEM equivalents. Energy managers with WA exposure should note the pattern of gradual build followed by sharp intraday spikes.
LOR conditions: