NEM
NEM Daily analysis

Saturday 15 August 2026

Trading day 2026-08-15

Market Snapshot

Queensland records eighty-six negative intervals as NEM prices trend above weekly average

Regional average prices varied from $52.40/MWh in Queensland to $95.40/MWh in South Australia. Queensland was the only region to experience negative pricing, reaching a minimum of -$5.00/MWh across eighty-six intervals. New South Wales recorded the highest peak demand of 10,008 MW at 18:25.

Renewable generation reached an instantaneous peak of 59.1% at 12:20, supported by a combined solar contribution of 19.6%. Wind and hydro generation provided 7.5% and 8.3% of the mix respectively. Total daily emissions were 370,133 tCO2, a 16.3% increase compared to the same day last week.

Battery storage discharged 14,600 MWh into the grid, resulting in a net consumption of 1,714 MWh after charging. FCAS costs were highest in the Regulation services, with NSW1 and TAS1 recording the highest peak prices for these categories.

Interconnector flows showed significant movement from Queensland to New South Wales via the N-Q-MNSP1 link. Meanwhile, Tasmania exported a net 10,294 MWh to Victoria through the Basslink interconnector.

Today · Predispatch forecasts indicate a price peak of $319.04/MWh in Queensland at 19:30, with New South Wales peaking at $98.25/MWh.

Why it matters · The daily average of $81.90/MWh continues an upward trajectory, sitting significantly above the $60.47/MWh seven-day average. This price strength occurred despite a 35.9% renewable share and substantial battery activity, as emissions rose 16.3% alongside high coal utilization.

NSW $82VIC $79QLD $52SA $95TAS $73
Numbers-only recap · gemini-3-flash-preview

Prices

Trading day · 04:00 → 04:00 AEST · 30-min average

NSW VIC QLD SA TAS
$0 $33 $65 $98 $130 $0 $38 $75 $113 $150 -$10 $20 $50 $80 $110 $0 $48 $95 $143 $190 $0 $35 $70 $105 $140 04:00 10:00 16:00 22:00 04:00
Region Avg VWAP Min Max Neg Cap
NSW $82 $83 $28 $130 0 0
QLD $52 $57 -$5 $100 86 0
SA $95 $98 $36 $264 0 0
VIC $79 $80 $13 $152 0 0
TAS $73 $74 $18 $137 0 0

Min · Max are 5-minute dispatch extremes; the price chart plots 30-minute averages, so its peak reads lower.

Demand

NSW
Peak
10,008MW
18:25
Trough
7,103MW
04:00
Energy
397.9GWh
QLD
Peak
7,058MW
18:00
Trough
3,814MW
10:50
Energy
266.2GWh
SA
Peak
1,785MW
18:55
Trough
603MW
13:55
Energy
61.2GWh
VIC
Peak
7,025MW
19:00
Trough
4,623MW
13:35
Energy
270.9GWh
TAS
Peak
1,272MW
18:55
Trough
837MW
13:40
Energy
52.6GWh

FCAS

ServiceCostSpikesPeakWhen
RAISEREG$7,8350$2115 Aug, 15:55
LOWERREG$9230$715 Aug, 07:20
RAISE6SEC$2570$015 Aug, 08:55
RAISE60SEC$2020$015 Aug, 18:45
LOWER60SEC$1350$015 Aug, 12:45
LOWER5MIN$790$015 Aug, 14:15
RAISE5MIN$510$015 Aug, 06:55
LOWER6SEC$320$015 Aug, 13:50
Total$9,514

Cost = NSW RRP × cleared MW per 5-min interval.

ServiceCostSpikesPeakWhen
RAISEREG$8,3590$2115 Aug, 15:55
LOWERREG$4,4640$715 Aug, 07:20
RAISE6SEC$3870$015 Aug, 08:55
RAISE60SEC$3090$015 Aug, 18:45
LOWER60SEC$2700$015 Aug, 12:45
LOWER5MIN$810$015 Aug, 14:15
LOWER6SEC$410$015 Aug, 13:50
RAISE5MIN$280$015 Aug, 06:55
Total$13,937

Cost = QLD RRP × cleared MW per 5-min interval.

ServiceCostSpikesPeakWhen
RAISEREG$7,2810$2115 Aug, 15:55
LOWERREG$3,9760$715 Aug, 07:20
RAISE6SEC$7380$015 Aug, 08:55
RAISE60SEC$6720$015 Aug, 18:45
LOWER60SEC$1730$015 Aug, 12:45
RAISE5MIN$1470$015 Aug, 06:55
LOWER5MIN$440$015 Aug, 14:15
LOWER6SEC$370$015 Aug, 13:50
Total$13,069

Cost = VIC RRP × cleared MW per 5-min interval.

ServiceCostSpikesPeakWhen
RAISE60SEC$7,6330$7615 Aug, 08:40
RAISEREG$6,4190$2115 Aug, 15:55
RAISE6SEC$4,5450$4015 Aug, 08:40
LOWERREG$3,1840$715 Aug, 07:20
RAISE5MIN$7160$515 Aug, 08:15
LOWER60SEC$3360$015 Aug, 12:45
LOWER5MIN$1340$015 Aug, 14:15
LOWER6SEC$970$015 Aug, 11:35
Total$23,064

Cost = SA RRP × cleared MW per 5-min interval.

ServiceCostSpikesPeakWhen
RAISEREG$9,8490$1915 Aug, 17:40
LOWERREG$3,9980$5015 Aug, 12:00
RAISE6SEC$3,6050$3815 Aug, 12:45
RAISE60SEC$5900$315 Aug, 09:05
LOWER6SEC$2390$315 Aug, 09:05
LOWER60SEC$1730$115 Aug, 16:30
RAISE5MIN$310$215 Aug, 09:05
LOWER5MIN$00$015 Aug, 15:05
Total$18,486

Cost = TAS RRP × cleared MW per 5-min interval.

Battery dispatch

Peak moment

Fleet discharged 1,100 MW at 19:00 as NSW spot hit $95/MWh.

Peak moment

Fleet discharged 1,462 MW at 18:00 as QLD spot hit $89/MWh.

Peak moment

Fleet discharged 901 MW at 19:30 as VIC spot hit $89/MWh.

Peak moment

Fleet discharged 306 MW at 08:00 as SA spot hit $172/MWh.

Peak moment

Fleet discharged 3,429 MW at 18:30 as TAS spot hit $86/MWh.

Discharged
4,121MWh
peak 1,100 MW · 19:00
Charged
4,722MWh
peak 1,083 MW
Net
-600MWh
discharge − charge
Round-trip
87%
discharge / charge ratio
Discharged
5,068MWh
peak 1,462 MW · 18:00
Charged
5,491MWh
peak 945 MW
Net
-424MWh
discharge − charge
Round-trip
92%
discharge / charge ratio
Discharged
3,649MWh
peak 901 MW · 19:30
Charged
4,521MWh
peak 952 MW
Net
-872MWh
discharge − charge
Round-trip
81%
discharge / charge ratio
Discharged
1,762MWh
peak 306 MW · 08:00
Charged
1,580MWh
peak 453 MW
Net
+182MWh
discharge − charge
Round-trip
112%
discharge / charge ratio
NEM-wide
Discharged
14,600MWh
peak 3,429 MW · 18:30
Charged
16,314MWh
peak 3,282 MW
Net
-1,714MWh
discharge − charge
Round-trip
89%
discharge / charge ratio

Fleet net dispatch · spot-price overlay · 30-min average

Net MWdischarge ↑ · charge ↓NSWQLDVICSATAS$/MWh
-4.0 GW-2.0 GW0 MW2.0 GW4.0 GW-$50$0$50$100$150$20023:3006:3713:4520:5204:00

Regional dispatch ranking

RegionDischargedNet
#1QLD
5,068MWh
-424
#2NSW
4,121MWh
-600
#3VIC
3,649MWh
-872
#4SA
1,762MWh
+182

Generation Mix

TOP FUEL 68.3%
  • Coal68.3% · 142.4 GWh
  • Gas0.5% · 1.1 GWh
  • Hydro4.3% · 9.0 GWh
  • Wind5.2% · 10.9 GWh
  • Solar (utility)11.1% · 23.2 GWh
  • Solar (rooftop)8.5% · 17.8 GWh
  • Battery2.0% · 4.1 GWh
TOP FUEL 58.6%
  • Coal58.6% · 115.2 GWh
  • Gas1.7% · 3.3 GWh
  • Hydro1.3% · 2.5 GWh
  • Wind9.4% · 18.5 GWh
  • Solar (utility)12.8% · 25.2 GWh
  • Solar (rooftop)13.1% · 25.7 GWh
  • Battery2.6% · 5.1 GWh
  • Other0.5% · 1.0 GWh
TOP FUEL 71.7%
  • Coal71.7% · 112.9 GWh
  • Gas0.3% · 0.5 GWh
  • Hydro7.3% · 11.5 GWh
  • Wind4.4% · 7.0 GWh
  • Solar (utility)5.1% · 8.0 GWh
  • Solar (rooftop)8.9% · 14.1 GWh
  • Battery2.3% · 3.6 GWh
TOP FUEL 37.9%
  • Gas37.9% · 12.9 GWh
  • Wind29.8% · 10.2 GWh
  • Solar (utility)5.5% · 1.9 GWh
  • Solar (rooftop)21.1% · 7.2 GWh
  • Battery5.2% · 1.8 GWh
  • Other0.5% · 0.2 GWh
TOP FUEL 82.7%
  • Gas12.3% · 4.4 GWh
  • Hydro82.7% · 29.6 GWh
  • Wind1.6% · 0.6 GWh
  • Solar (rooftop)3.4% · 1.2 GWh
coalgashydrobattery dischargewindsolar utilitysolar rooftopBattery (charge)
23:3005:3711:4517:5200:0010.2 GW 0
coalgashydrobattery dischargewindsolar utilitysolar rooftopotherBattery (charge)
23:3005:3711:4517:5200:009.8 GW 0
coalgashydrobattery dischargewindsolar utilitysolar rooftopBattery (charge)
23:3005:3711:4517:5200:008.2 GW 0
gasbattery dischargewindsolar utilitysolar rooftopotherBattery (charge)
23:3005:3711:4517:5200:001.8 GW 0
gashydrowindsolar rooftop
23:3005:3711:4517:5200:001.8 GW 0

Renewables

NSW · Daily renewable share
27.2%
VIC · Daily renewable share
27.3%
QLD · Daily renewable share
45.4%
SA · Daily renewable share
52.6%
TAS · Daily renewable share
103.8%
Peak instantaneous
59.1%
at 12:20
Daily NEM-wide share
35.9%
By region (daily share)
  • NSW
    27.2%
  • VIC
    27.3%
  • QLD
    45.4%
  • SA
    52.6%
  • TAS
    103.8%

Interconnectors

Region (proxy) Net flow Direction changes Hours at limit
N-Q-MNSP1 +47.1 GWh 0 —
NSW1-QLD1 −43.6 GWh 0 —
VIC1-NSW1 +4.6 GWh 17 —
V-SA −13.4 GWh 0 —
T-V-MNSP1 +10.3 GWh 0 —

Per-region net of NETINTERCHANGE proxied to a representative interconnector. Full per-interconnector decomposition + hours-at-limit needs DINTERCONNECTOR parsing (follow-up).

Emissions

Total emissions
370.1k tCO₂
▲ 16.3% vs same day last week
Intensity by region
NSW 124.7k tCO₂ 0.596 tCO₂/MWh
QLD 102.4k tCO₂ 0.516 tCO₂/MWh
SA 6.1k tCO₂ 0.174 tCO₂/MWh
VIC 134.3k tCO₂ 0.849 tCO₂/MWh
TAS 2.6k tCO₂ 0.075 tCO₂/MWh