Load Advisor

SA1 presents the strongest load-shifting case on the NEM today. The current price is 170.44 $/MWh against predispatch windows showing prices at or near zero — and in some intervals negative — from 09:30 AEST through to approximately 15:00 AEST. Savings of over 1,000 $/MWh are flagged across multiple SA1 intervals in this window, reflecting the scale of the opportunity. Traders and site operators with flexible load in South Australia should prioritise scheduling into the 10:00–14:00 AEST band, where the deepest negative and near-zero prices are concentrated. SA1 prices will surge back above 85 $/MWh from around 17:00 AEST and are forecast to reach 100+ $/MWh into the evening peak — avoid loading up in that period.

NSW1 and QLD1 offer solid daytime shifting opportunities at a smaller scale. NSW1 predispatch prices are forecast to fall to sub-zero levels from roughly 08:00 AEST, with the trough period of -5 $/MWh or lower sitting in the 10:00–13:30 AEST window. QLD1 follows a similar profile, with prices dipping negative from around 08:00 AEST and holding near zero through to 15:00 AEST — though QLD1 predispatch shows prices jumping sharply toward 40–50 $/MWh from approximately 14:30 AEST, so operators should complete load execution before that ramp. Both regions will see prices return to 75–85 $/MWh range by the 17:00–19:00 AEST evening period.

VIC1 shows a more moderate opportunity. Predispatch prices are near zero to slightly negative through the 08:00–14:30 AEST window, but the region is currently trading at 81.31 $/MWh with an evening ramp expected toward 60–70 $/MWh by 16:30–17:00 AEST. Flexible load in Victoria should target the 09:00–13:30 AEST band. TAS1 is the outlier — prices are holding at 88–96 $/MWh across the entire forecast horizon with very little intraday variation, making it the least responsive region to load shifting today. WA1 operates on a separate market and is excluded from this NEM-wide advisory.

The primary recommendation: schedule the bulk of flexible load — refrigeration cycling, water heating, battery charging, pumping, or industrial processes — into the 10:00–14:00 AEST window across NSW1, SA1, and QLD1. This is the clearest NEM-wide trough. Defer any deferrable load currently running in peak-priced windows (particularly SA1 above 100 $/MWh and TAS1 above 88 $/MWh) and reschedule it into this midday corridor. Ensure operations are complete before 15:00 AEST in QLD1 and before 16:30 AEST in NSW1 and VIC1 to avoid the afternoon price ramp that predispatch signals are pointing to across all mainland regions.