Load Advisor: Wednesday 19 August 2026

The standout opportunity today is the overnight trough from roughly 10:30am to 3:30pm AEST (00:30–05:30 UTC), when prices across NSW1, VIC1, SA1 and QLD1 collapse to near zero or negative, before all regions climb sharply into afternoon and evening peaks. SA1 offers the deepest savings, with forecast prices around -$5/MWh between 2:30pm and 3:30pm AEST, a swing of roughly $130/MWh versus the region's peak. NSW1, VIC1 and QLD1 all show a similar pattern, with prices sitting between -$2 and $1/MWh through the same window and savings of $80–92/MWh versus peak achievable.

Flexible load should be scheduled into the 11:30am–3:30pm AEST block wherever possible, with the tightest, most reliable low-price window sitting between 1:30pm and 3:30pm AEST across NSW1, VIC1, SA1 and QLD1 (prices at or below $1/MWh with low risk ratings in most half-hour periods). TAS1 does not follow the same trough shape — its lowest prices today sit in the $14–26/MWh range through the late morning and into the 4:30–5:30pm AEST window, so Tasmanian load should shift to late morning rather than the mainland's midday trough.

Peak periods to avoid are consistent across NSW1, VIC1, SA1 and QLD1 from roughly 5:30pm through to 8:30pm AEST, and again through mid-morning (6:30am–10:30am AEST) as demand ramps and solar has not yet reached full output. SA1 shows the sharpest afternoon peak, forecast to reach $130/MWh around 8:00pm AEST, while NSW1 and VIC1 peak in the high-$80s to low-$90s through the evening ramp. QLD1's peak is comparatively flatter, holding in the mid-$80s from late morning through midday.

For traders and flexible load operators, the clearest instruction today is: shift discretionary load into the 11:30am–3:30pm AEST window on the mainland, prioritise SA1 and VIC1 for the largest dollar-per-MWh savings, use TAS1's late-morning window instead of midday, and ensure any interruptible processes are clear of load before 5:00pm AEST as all regions transition into evening peak pricing.