Australian wholesale power price update May 2026

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rtt_rules
Posts: 1930
Joined: Fri Sep 13, 2024 3:59 am

Australian wholesale power price update May 2026

Post by rtt_rules »

Hi
Fin year 25 - 26 whole sale price based on state\, Fin 2009 - 2010

$MWh
Fin 25 -26 / Fin 09-10 (Inflation corrected)

NSW : $ 77 / $ 44 ($ 67)
Qld : $ 63 / $ 33 ($ 50)
SA : $ 73 / $ 55 ($ 84)
Vic : $ 50 / $ 36 ($ 55)
Tas : $ 76 / $ 29 ($ 44)

Inflation over this time period according to RBA is just over 50%

April / May (April - June is when wind in the SE and SA drops)

NSW $ 60 / 63
Qld $ 53 / 61
SA $ 56 / 46
Vic $ 35 / 87
Tas $ 85 / 32

Last 12mth SA
RE : 73.5 % @ $42 (note 11% of all SA RE potential output was curtailed due to insufficent demand and current limitations on export) + another 2.7% for Battery
Gas : 18% @ $276
Import : 12 %
Export : 6 %

Last 12mth Qld
Coal : 62% @ $85
RE : 36 % @ $41 + 1.2% for battery
Gas : 5 % @ $142
Import : 0.9 %
Export : 5.3 %

Last 12mth NSW
Coal : 54% @ $ 114
RE : 37 % @ $68 + 0.7% for battery
Gas : 1.9 % @ $292
Import : 9 %
Export : 2 %

Last 12mth Vic
Coal : 47% @ $ 45
RE : 37 % @ $68 + 1.5% for battery
Gas : 2.2 % @ $322
Import : 4 %
Export : 12 %

Last 12mth Overall
NEM / WA (SWIS)
Coal : 51 % / 25 % (NEM this Fin year to date is 49.7%)
GAS : 4 % / 29 %
RE : 44 % / 72 %
Battery : 1.1 % / 3.9%
Curtailed RE : 3.6% / Not provided

Highest noted Battery output in peak

WA : 31% of total demand yesterday, 811 MW peak
NEM : 10% @ 2433 MW
Qld : Is now frequently peaking at 17% battery, NSW exceeding 10%
NSW : achieved a record for total battery discharge (highest for all states) in one day on 13 April, 6100 MWh
NEM : also achieved a record for that day at 16,200 MWh
rtt_rules
Posts: 1930
Joined: Fri Sep 13, 2024 3:59 am

Re: Australian wholesale power price update May 2026

Post by rtt_rules »

I didn't mention curtailment for other NEM states.

Basically Tas is next to zero due to the hydro network flexibility to accomdate changes in RE output.

SA is the highest at 11% due to limited connectivity to the east coast and large RE production

Vic is next at 6% due to large RE penetration

Qld and NSW is around 2 - 2.5% due to reasonable hydro capacity to bank and some flexibility in coal to curtail.

SA's curtailment problem will be mostly solved once the new HV line to NSW is up and running with SA then becoming a net exporter as it curtails as much as it imports + existing exports.

NSW and Qld will also be able to use SA as a sink for excess supply assuming SA is in defict at the time.
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