Load Advisor: Sunday 19 April 2026
NEM spot prices are currently elevated across all regions, with SA1 the most expensive at $137/MWh, VIC1 at $126/MWh, NSW1 at $122/MWh, TAS1 at $110/MWh, and QLD1 the cheapest interconnected region at $99/MWh. Total demand sits at 7,539 MW in NSW, 6,510 MW in QLD, 5,666 MW in VIC, 1,258 MW in SA, and 1,189 MW in TAS. WA1 is operating independently at $96/MWh.
The optimal load-shifting window across NSW1, VIC1, SA1, and QLD1 will open from approximately 09:00 AEST and deepen through to 16:30 AEST today. Predispatch forecasts show NSW1 prices collapsing to near zero or negative from 11:00–14:00 AEST (nadir around $0–$2/MWh versus the current $122/MWh, representing savings of over $200/MWh). VIC1 tracks closely, with prices forecast at $0–$2/MWh through the same window. SA1 presents the strongest absolute savings opportunity: prices are forecast to turn negative (as low as -$7/MWh) between 10:30 and 14:30 AEST, against a current price of $137/MWh — a swing of over $840/MWh on the saving metric. QLD1 forecasts show negative prices from roughly 09:30 AEST through to 13:00 AEST, bottoming near -$9/MWh. TAS1 is structurally different: prices remain elevated in the $88–$96/MWh range throughout the day with no clear low-cost window, reflecting its market position as a net exporter at current hydro dispatch levels.
Periods to avoid are the current morning peak (now through approximately 08:30 AEST) and the forecast evening ramp, which will begin around 16:30–17:00 AEST across all mainland regions. NSW1 and VIC1 predispatch shows prices lifting back to the $20–$40/MWh range from 16:30 AEST, with SA1 forecast to push above $35–$90/MWh by 17:00 AEST as daytime generation tapers. QLD1 follows a similar ramp profile from 16:30 AEST.
**Recommendation:** Schedule all deferrable loads — industrial processes, hot water, cold storage pre-cooling, EV charging, and battery charging cycles — to run between **10:00 and 14:30 AEST** today. SA1 operators will capture the largest marginal savings and should prioritise this window above other regions. NSW1 and VIC1 operators should target the **11:00–14:00 AEST** core. QLD1 flexible loads should target **09:30–13:00 AEST**. Loads in TAS1 have no compelling intraday shift opportunity today; any discretionary demand there is best managed through contract rather than spot exposure.