Load Advisor

NSW prices are at 191 $/MWh right now, the highest across the NEM, with VIC at 180 $/MWh, SA at 175 $/MWh, QLD at 105 $/MWh, and TAS at 128 $/MWh. Predispatch forecasts show NSW and VIC prices will ease sharply from 8:00 AEST tonight, with NSW windows forecast at 55–65 $/MWh and VIC at 58–62 $/MWh from 8:00 AEST — a saving of over 270 $/MWh against current NSW prices. The strongest early-evening drop comes at the 9:00–9:30 AEST window where NSW prices fall toward 17–29 $/MWh, representing savings of up to 310 $/MWh. QLD is the standout low-cost region right now at 105 $/MWh, with predispatch showing prices dropping to 12–23 $/MWh from 8:30 AEST and touching near-zero (under 1 $/MWh) around 9:00 AEST — the cheapest window across the entire NEM today. SA remains elevated at 138–162 $/MWh through to around 8:30 AEST but will ease into the low 100s overnight. TAS sits at a comparatively stable 96–106 $/MWh across the forecast horizon with no sharp repricing expected.

For flexible load scheduling, the primary recommendation is to defer any NSW or VIC loads from now until at least 8:00 AEST tonight, targeting the 8:00–9:30 AEST window where NEM-wide prices are expected to be materially lower. QLD operators should prioritise the 9:00–9:30 AEST band where prices are forecast near zero — this is the best value window across the NEM today. SA flexible loads should be deferred until at least 8:30 AEST when prices begin stepping down from the current 138–175 $/MWh range into the low 100s. TAS loads can shift to any overnight window from 8:00 AEST as prices remain relatively flat and low throughout.

The firm peak to avoid is the current NSW/VIC/SA afternoon period (now through approximately 7:30 AEST) where all three regions sit above 175 $/MWh. Any flexible load — industrial processes, thermal storage pre-charging, EV fleet charging, or demand response assets — should be held off until the 8:00 AEST boundary at minimum. Operators with inter-regional flexibility who are exposed to NSW or VIC should note that QLD already offers a 60–85 $/MWh discount relative to those regions and that gap will narrow but persist overnight.