Load Advisor: Tuesday 23 June 2026

Spot prices are elevated across the NEM at 06:25 AEST, with SA1 the standout at $500/MWh against demand of 1,654 MW, while NSW1 ($121/MWh, 9,517 MW), QLD1 ($117/MWh, 6,976 MW), and VIC1 ($111/MWh, 6,123 MW) are all running above typical overnight levels. TAS1 is the calmest region at $79/MWh and 1,278 MW. Predispatch forecasts show the current elevated pricing will persist into the early morning hours before a clear trough opens up across most regions between roughly 01:00–06:00 AEST, after which a sharp morning ramp is expected from approximately 17:00–19:00 AEST (07:00–09:00 UTC) in NSW1, VIC1, and SA1.

The strongest overnight load-shifting opportunity NEM-wide sits in QLD1, where predispatch prices will fall to $26–$40/MWh between 11:00 AEST tonight and 04:30 AEST tomorrow morning — the cheapest sustained window across all five regions and saving up to $217/MWh against today's peak. NSW1 will offer a solid trough from 12:00 AEST tonight through to 16:00 AEST tomorrow morning at $68–$73/MWh, saving approximately $516/MWh against its forecast morning peak of $588/MWh at 18:00 AEST (08:00 UTC). VIC1 prices will settle to a flat $80.67/MWh from 01:30 AEST through 05:00 AEST, offering a stable four-hour scheduling window with savings of around $368/MWh versus the morning ramp that will reach $449/MWh at 19:00 AEST (09:00 UTC). TAS1 presents the most predictable profile, with prices holding at $79–$80/MWh from 02:00 through 07:00 AEST before a brief spike to $234/MWh at 17:30 AEST (07:30 UTC).

SA1 requires separate treatment. Prices are forecast to remain elevated — mostly $300–$923/MWh — through to approximately 14:00 AEST, with brief spikes near $875–$923/MWh in two overnight windows (08:00–09:30 AEST UTC equivalent, i.e., 18:00–19:30 AEST tonight and again near 01:00 AEST). The only viable shift windows are the afternoon period from 14:00–17:00 AEST where prices will ease to $141–$175/MWh — a saving of $673–$778/MWh versus the morning peak — and a brief dip to $250/MWh around 04:00–04:30 AEST that, while still elevated by NEM standards, represents the overnight low. SA1 operators should treat any load activation before 14:00 AEST as high-risk given the frequency of forecast price spikes above $800/MWh through the night.

The concrete recommendation: schedule the bulk of flexible load in QLD1 between 11:00 AEST tonight and 04:00 A