Load Advisor

Queensland is the standout signal this morning: spot is currently at $233.01/MWh against demand of 6,427 MW, and predispatch shows a sharp relief into negative territory from 09:00 AEST onward — with prices forecast to reach as low as -$25.01/MWh through the 11:00–13:30 AEST window. The current QLD price is more than double NSW's $98.14/MWh and dwarfs VIC ($11/MWh) and SA ($11.96/MWh), making load avoidance in Queensland critically valuable right now and load uptake in the overnight trough exceptionally attractive. QLD operators should defer any flexible load until 09:00 AEST at the earliest; the 11:00–14:00 AEST window will offer the deepest negative prices and the highest savings spread against today's reference price — in excess of $320/MWh on some predispatch intervals.

NSW presents strong negative-price windows from 08:00 AEST through to approximately 14:30 AEST, with predispatch showing prices between -$8.92/MWh and -$35.95/MWh across multiple intervals. The deepest NSW troughs cluster around the 11:00–13:30 AEST range, consistent with the solar generation profile typical of an April weekday. With current NSW spot at $98.14/MWh, flexible loads — industrial chillers, irrigation, water treatment, EV charging — should be pre-positioned to maximise consumption in this window. The implied saving versus current price exceeds $130/MWh on the best intervals.

VIC and SA are already at near-floor prices ($11/MWh and $11.96/MWh respectively), and predispatch confirms both regions will push into sustained negative territory from approximately 08:00 AEST, with VIC reaching -$63.60/MWh and SA touching -$55.53/MWh around the 13:00 AEST half-hour. VIC's overnight window from 07:30–16:00 AEST is uniformly excellent across the predispatch horizon, with savings against the reference price exceeding $150/MWh on peak negative intervals. SA's daytime trough is similarly compelling, with savings above $230/MWh on the deepest intervals. TAS remains the least attractive region for load shifting today — spot sits at $88.20/MWh and predispatch shows only modest relief, with prices staying largely above $50/MWh through most windows; a brief dip to $23.28/MWh appears around 13:00 AEST for select intervals but coverage is thin.

**Concrete recommendation:** Schedule all flexible NEM loads — across NSW, VIC, QLD, and SA — into the 09:30 to 14:00 AEST window today. This is where predispatch prices are negative across all four mainland regions simultaneously, creating the broadest and deepest savings opportunity of the day. QLD loads should not run ahead of 09:00 AEST given the current $233/MWh spot. Avoid scheduling any load in QLD during the 15:30 AEST interval onward, where predispatch signals a return to positive and rising prices (~$25–$40/MWh) ahead of the evening demand ramp. TAS operators have limited load-shifting upside today; if flexibility is available, the 13:00