NEM Overview: Wednesday 13 May 2026

Spot prices across the NEM are sitting in a moderate range this morning, with Tasmania the highest at $106.24/MWh and South Australia the lowest at $84.61/MWh. NSW leads on demand at 7,913 MW at $97.34/MWh, with Queensland at 6,591 MW and $92.59/MWh, Victoria at 5,707 MW and $87.69/MWh, and SA at 1,395 MW. The WA wholesale market is printing $119.15/MWh — the standout price on the board. The NSW–Victoria spread of around $9.65/MWh is relatively tight given VIC1-NSW1 is carrying 423 MW northward and well within its 1,064 MW export limit. The NSW1-QLD1 interconnector is flowing 275 MW south into NSW and is binding at its import limit, which is applying upward pressure on NSW prices relative to Queensland.

NEM-wide renewable penetration sits at 52% by the gridIQ score, and the regional picture is sharply divergent. SA is running at 81% renewable share with 1,068 MW of wind dominating its 1,395 MW load — gas OCGT (188 MW) and CCGT (62 MW) are providing the balance alongside 8 MW of battery. Tasmania is at 95% renewable, with 1,050 MW of hydro and 130 MW of wind covering nearly all of its 1,134 MW demand; gas OCGT is providing 58 MW. Queensland reaches 51% renewable, with wind generating a substantial 1,558 MW alongside 176 MW of hydro and negligible solar at this hour. NSW sits at 29% renewable, with black coal supplying 5,849 MW — the single largest fuel contribution across the NEM — complemented by 1,408 MW of wind, 695 MW of hydro, 174 MW of battery discharge, and 132 MW of solar. Victoria's 1,260 MW of wind and 160 MW of battery output are running alongside 1,656 MW of brown coal, producing a 46% renewable share. Carbon intensity reflects this spread: Tasmania at 0.03 tCO2/MWh, SA at 0.12 tCO2/MWh, Queensland at 0.43 tCO2/MWh, NSW at 0.62 tCO2/MWh, and Victoria at 0.65 tCO2/MWh.

The grid stress score of 89.6 is the key flag this morning — elevated relative to the otherwise modest price levels, which suggests constraint activity rather than demand pressure is the driver. The NSW1-QLD1 interconnector binding at its southward import limit is the most direct expression of this. The Murraylink (V-S-MNSP1) and Basslink (T-V-MNSP1) are both sitting at zero flow, leaving SA and Tasmania operating self-sufficiently at this interval. The Tailem Bend–South East No.1 275 kV line outage that constrained the SA–Victoria corridor earlier has been returned to service as of 1520 AEST on 13 May, and associated constraint sets S-X_TBSE+BDBU and S-BC_CP have been revoked — SA's interconnector position should be unconstrained for today's trading. The MT PASA published 12 May