Load Advisor: Tuesday 26 May 2026
The standout opportunity right now is Queensland, where predispatch prices are sitting at $82–$95/MWh through the 07:00–13:30 AEST window (midnight to 06:30 UTC), well below the current dispatch price of $144.50/MWh. Victoria is similarly well-positioned from 07:00 AEST onwards, with forecast prices in the $83–$110/MWh range versus the current $144.06/MWh. NSW prices will ease from the current $161.92/MWh down to a $97–$115/MWh band through the 08:00–12:00 AEST window, with the deepest troughs around $87–$98/MWh forecast between 10:00 and 11:30 AEST. Tasmania is already the cheapest region at $87.18/MWh and is forecast to hold in an $87–$97/MWh range for most of today — a sustained low-cost window with minimal volatility in the predispatch signal.
South Australia is the clear region to avoid or defer load in: prices are $170.44/MWh now and the predispatch series shows persistent reads above $200–$250/MWh through the 08:00–12:30 AEST window, with spikes to $250+/MWh visible across multiple forecast intervals. The heating demand signal of 8.1°C with 100% cloud cover and near-zero solar potential explains the tightness — SA will remain exposed through the morning peak. The NSW evening peak period (17:00–19:30 AEST) will also present elevated prices, with predispatch reads between $160–$200/MWh, and SA is expected to follow with similar or higher reads through the same window.
**Concrete scheduling recommendation:** Target 07:30–12:00 AEST for maximum flexible load in QLD and VIC, where prices will be $82–$110/MWh — savings of $35–$60/MWh versus current dispatch. NSW flexible loads are best shifted to 09:00–12:00 AEST when prices drop to the $87–$115/MWh band. TAS operators can run flexible loads through most of today with confidence, as the predispatch signal holds flat and low. Defer any non-critical SA load until afternoon once solar generation begins to build; the 14:00–16:00 AEST window shows the best SA pricing relief at $94–$115/MWh. Avoid scheduling additional load in any region between 17:00–20:00 AEST when the evening ramp is expected to push prices back above $160–$200/MWh NEM-wide.