Load Advisor — Tuesday 5 May 2026
VIC1 is the standout value region right now, with predispatch prices at or below $0/MWh from approximately 09:30–14:30 AEST (00:00–05:30 UTC) — multiple intervals are printing negative, meaning the grid is effectively paying consumers to take load. SA1 follows closely, with prices near zero or marginally negative across the same window and sustaining sub-$10/MWh conditions well into the late morning. NSW1 prices are forecast to fall sharply from the current $134.88/MWh to the low $20s–$40s from 09:00 AEST onwards, with the cheapest cluster around $9–$25/MWh between 10:30 and 12:00 AEST. QLD1 remains the most expensive region through the overnight period, sitting in the $39–$53/MWh band with no negative pricing forecast, making it the least compelling shift target today. TAS1 prices are stable in the high $70s–$80s range throughout, offering limited load-shifting upside relative to the mainland.
The primary window to capture is 09:30–14:00 AEST for VIC1 and SA1 operators — this is where the deepest discounts sit, with savings of $113–$124/MWh against current spot in those regions. NSW1 flexible loads should target the 10:00–12:00 AEST band where predispatch shows prices in the $10–$25/MWh range, representing savings of $110–$125/MWh against the current $134.88/MWh. QLD1 operators have a secondary opportunity in the 09:00–10:30 AEST window where prices ease to $22–$35/MWh, roughly $95–$108/MWh cheaper than present.
Peaks to avoid are concentrated in the 15:30–19:30 AEST evening ramp across all mainland regions, where demand will rebuild as temperature-driven heating loads come in — NSW1 weather shows a current temperature of 11.6°C with a heating demand signal of 6.4, and VIC1 sits at 10.5°C with 74% cloud cover suppressing any solar offset this afternoon. Do not commit flexible load to the 16:00–20:00 AEST window in any region.
**Recommended schedule:** Dispatch all deferrable load — EV charging, hot water, refrigeration cycling, industrial batch processes — into the 09:30–13:00 AEST window, prioritising VIC1 and SA1 first, NSW1 second, QLD1 third. Set cut-off alarms at 14:30 AEST. Any load not shifted by then should hold until post-midnight tomorrow when the overnight trough repeats.