Load Advisor: Thursday 4 June 2026

The sharpest load-shifting opportunity across the NEM today sits in the **06:30–08:30 AEST** window (UTC 20:30–22:30 currently) transitioning into deep overnight troughs from **09:30 AEST onwards**. NSW is currently at $86/MWh with demand at 8,597 MW, VIC at $79/MWh with 6,010 MW, QLD at $81/MWh with 6,830 MW, and SA at $84/MWh with 1,516 MW. TAS sits at $80/MWh and is forecast to hold near that level all day — the region's predispatch windows show virtually no price relief throughout the forecast horizon, so load-shifting value there is limited compared to the mainland.

The most compelling overnight windows are in **QLD and VIC**. QLD predispatch prices will fall to near zero or negative (as low as -$2.70/MWh) between **10:30 AEST and 14:30 AEST** (UTC 00:30–04:30), with sustained sub-$10/MWh pricing across multiple intervals — a saving of over $125/MWh against current spot. VIC will drop to $19–$32/MWh across the **12:30–14:30 AEST** window (UTC 02:30–04:30), with individual intervals touching $10.50/MWh, representing savings of $130–$155/MWh against the current reference price. NSW's best window arrives slightly later, with prices falling to $35–$38/MWh between **10:30–14:30 AEST**, then briefly dipping to near $24/MWh around **13:00–14:00 AEST** (UTC 03:00) — a saving of over $110/MWh. SA mirrors the VIC and NSW pattern, with predispatch prices reaching $16–$23/MWh in the **14:00–16:00 AEST** (UTC 04:00–06:00) window, though SA's current price is already somewhat suppressed relative to its recent highs above $100/MWh.

The period to **avoid** across all mainland regions is the **17:00–20:00 AEST** evening peak. VIC predispatch signals prices rising back above $90/MWh by **17:00 AEST** (UTC 07:00), with SA historically amplifying evening peaks given its supply-demand dynamics. NSW is forecast to recover toward $80–90/MWh into the same period. QLD prices lift from their ultra-low overnight trough back toward $48/MWh by **16:00 AEST** and continue rising.

**Concrete recommendation:** Shift all deferrable loads in QLD to the **10:30–13:00 AEST** window where prices are forecast at $0–$6/MWh across most predispatch intervals. For VIC and NSW operations, target the **12:00–15:00 AEST** window where prices settle in the $20–$38/MWh range. SA flexible loads should be scheduled for **14:00–16:00 AEST** to capture the $10–$22/MWh trough. In all regions, complete load execution before **16:30 AEST** and curtail non-critical consumption from **17:00