Load Advisor: Monday 25 May 2026

Victoria is the standout opportunity today: predispatch prices are forecast to sit between $10.50 and $15.50/MWh across a sustained window from roughly 7:30 AEST through to 17:00 AEST, with some intervals touching the floor near $10.50/MWh. That compares to the current spot of $110.50/MWh, making this the deepest load-shifting opportunity on the NEM today. NSW is forecasting a tighter but still attractive overnight trough of $79–$85/MWh from approximately 7:00 AEST onwards through the morning, stepping up toward $100/MWh in the late morning window. Queensland sits in the $82–$98/MWh range across the overnight and early morning periods before climbing back above $120/MWh by 16:00–17:00 AEST. Tasmania is relatively flat all day at $100–$106/MWh with limited arbitrage spread. SA remains elevated across the forecast horizon — prices are clustering between $100/MWh and $497/MWh with persistent spikes, and no clean trough window is evident; SA operators should avoid adding discretionary load during the morning period particularly around 17:00–19:30 AEST when predispatch shows repeated excursions above $300/MWh.

For concrete scheduling decisions: the optimal NEM-wide load shifting window will be 08:30–14:00 AEST today. VIC-connected flexible loads — including pumped hydro staging, industrial deferral, battery charging, and commercial HVAC pre-conditioning — will see the best value, with savings potential of $195–$245/MWh against the current price. NSW flexible loads should target the 07:00–10:30 AEST window where predispatch consistently shows $79–$85/MWh. Queensland operators can take advantage of the $76–$83/MWh window visible in the 14:30–16:30 AEST predispatch band. Loads that cannot be shifted should expect upward price pressure across all mainland regions during the evening demand peak from approximately 19:00–21:30 AEST, where NSW and QLD forecasts rise back to $120–$140/MWh and SA shows continued risk of high-price events above $300/MWh.

WA operates on a separate system (SWIS) and the available data shows current dispatch at $87.31/MWh with no predispatch window data provided; WA operators should consult AEMO's SWIS dispatch directly for intraday guidance.