Load Advisor — Saturday 9 May 2026

Spot prices across the NEM are in the $89–$138/MWh range at 6:35 AEST, with SA1 leading at $138/MWh, NSW1 at $118.53/MWh, VIC1 at $108.99/MWh, QLD1 at $105.04/MWh, and TAS1 at $88.20/MWh. Predispatch forecasts show a steep overnight trough developing across all eastern mainland regions from approximately 9:30 AEST tonight, with prices in NSW1 and VIC1 dropping to the $9–$17/MWh range, QLD1 tracking at or below $5/MWh — including periods with negative prices — and SA1 presenting a more volatile but still substantially lower overnight profile in the $10–$60/MWh band. The overnight window from 9:30 AEST through to approximately 2:30 AEST (10:00–14:30 AEST tomorrow morning) represents the deepest and most sustained trough forecast across the NEM today, with savings opportunities of $109–$139/MWh in NSW1 and VIC1 relative to current prices.

QLD1 offers the single most aggressive load-shifting opportunity on the NEM today. Predispatch is showing recurring negative and near-zero prices from approximately 9:30 AEST tonight through to 4:00 AEST tomorrow morning — with multiple intervals forecast at -$2.65 to -$3.20/MWh — meaning flexible loads can be paid to consume during this window rather than simply buying cheap energy. This reflects the characteristic overnight oversupply pattern in Queensland. VIC1 delivers the deepest sustained savings corridor in dollar terms, with prices forecast to hold in the $8.95–$11/MWh band for several hours overnight, representing savings of up to $182/MWh against current spot. SA1 is less clean: prices remain elevated in the $49–$68/MWh range through much of the overnight period before dropping to single digits in scattered intervals from midnight AEST, and volatility is meaningfully higher — traders should watch for the $9–$12/MWh windows that appear intermittently from around 10:00 AEST tonight but should not assume a sustained trough.

The morning ramp is the key avoidance window. Predispatch shows prices in NSW1 climbing back above $37–$50/MWh from approximately 15:30–16:00 AEST tomorrow, with QLD1 rising through $25–$40/MWh from around 14:30 AEST and VIC1 recovering into the $36–$52/MWh range from 15:30 AEST. SA1 prices are forecast to spike back above $60–$79/MWh as early as 16:00 AEST, consistent with its current elevated base. TAS1 sits in a structurally different position: prices are forecast to remain in the $88–$91/MWh range throughout and there is no meaningful overnight trough — load shifting within TAS1 on price grounds is not indicated for today based on available predispatch data.

**Concrete recommendation:** Schedule flexible loads in NSW1, VIC1, and QLD1 to begin consuming from 9:30 AEST tonight, targeting the 9:30–14:00 AEST window for maximum savings. QLD1