Evening demand ramps pushed prices sharply higher across all NEM regions by 06:30 AEST, with NSW at $176.80/MWh (demand 7,970 MW), VIC at $187.33/MWh (6,198 MW and climbing), SA at $192.90/MWh, and QLD at $111.11/MWh — each well above their respective overnight floors. Three interconnectors were binding at 06:30, with flows moving from lower- to higher-priced regions and spreads unable to fully close. Watch SA and VIC through the early-evening window; both are tracking near their 24-hour highs with demand still elevated.
Tasmania is today's standout, for two distinct reasons. A major binding constraint — T_BLINK_TV_NGZ — carried a shadow price of $7.308 million during the 13:50–14:15 AEST window and again in the early morning, pointing to significant transmission congestion, likely limiting export or demand-response capability. Despite that, regional prices stayed moderate at $81–$86/MWh during those intervals. Separately, renewable penetration hit 96.4% at 20:00–20:40 AEST, with hydro running at 1,101–1,448 MW and wind contributing 95–103 MW; prices spiked to $153.51/MWh at 20:30 as the evening ramp took hold. TAS1's 24-hour average settled at $86/MWh, max $155/MWh.
The WEM was not quiet overnight. WA1 recorded a $251/MWh price spike in a single trading interval at 05:40 AEST, preceded by $247/MWh in the interval prior. The 24-hour average of $127/MWh — the highest of any region reported today — reflects broader price elevation through the period. The spike appears short-lived and concentrated in the pre-dawn window; no further escalation is flagged in available data.