Load Advisor: Tuesday 12 May 2026
NEM-wide prices are currently in the $81–$96/MWh range across the interconnected regions, with NSW1 at $93.64/MWh, QLD1 at $92.73/MWh, SA1 at $81.30/MWh, VIC1 at $80.86/MWh, and TAS1 at $96.24/MWh. These represent the avoid window — predispatch forecasts show a sustained and deep price trough beginning within the next two to three hours that operators should be positioning for now.
The strongest load-shifting opportunity across the NEM runs from approximately 08:30 AEST through 15:30 AEST today, with NSW1 and VIC1 predispatch showing prices collapsing to the $5–$24/MWh range from 08:30 AEST, reaching floor prices near $5–$13/MWh through the 11:00–14:30 AEST window. QLD1 follows a similar pattern but with a shallower trough, forecasting near-zero and negative prices (-$5 to $0/MWh) from approximately 09:00–15:30 AEST — the single deepest savings window in the NEM today. SA1 is the standout for afternoon flexibility, with predispatch pointing to negative prices as low as -$24.99/MWh between 13:00–14:00 AEST, driven by strong solar output consistent with today's near-clear sky forecast (5% average cloud cover). VIC1 daytime prices will sit in the $5–$13/MWh band through the 11:00–14:30 AEST slot, aligned with its forecast clearing conditions and solar uptake.
The morning ramp presents the key avoidance window: prices in NSW1 and VIC1 will rise sharply from around $38–$42/MWh at 08:00 AEST to above $50/MWh by 08:30 AEST, and SA1 escalates toward $66–$70/MWh from 16:30 AEST onward. QLD1 will return to $40/MWh territory from 16:00 AEST. TAS1 remains structurally elevated at $86–$96/MWh throughout the forecast window with no meaningful low-price interval — flexible load in Tasmania has no viable shift target today and should be kept at minimum unless operationally unavoidable.
**Recommendation:** Schedule all deferrable flexible loads — cold storage pre-cooling, EV fleet charging, battery charging cycles, water heating, and process loads — to execute between 09:30 and 14:30 AEST. QLD1 and SA1 operators should prioritise the 10:00–14:00 AEST band specifically, where negative and near-zero prices make consumption economically optimal. NSW1 and VIC1 operators should target 09:30–14:00 AEST for maximum savings against current spot prices. Ensure all loads are cleared or curtailed before 15:30 AEST ahead of the evening demand ramp.