Victorian Midday Power Saver: free electricity from 11 am to 2 pm.

How does the Midday Power Saver work?

The offer started on 1 October 2026 and is available through most electricity retailers. It is optional. You do not receive free power automatically simply because you have a Victorian smart meter.

This is an electricity tariff, not a rebate. The 24 kWh is a daily fair-use allowance for the whole household during the three-hour period, not 24 kWh reserved separately for a battery, EV or other appliance.

Why do the rates outside 11 am to 2 pm matter so much?

The free window is only one part of the tariff. The Victorian Government publishes separate supply, off-peak, afternoon and peak rates for each distribution zone. A household that saves money at lunchtime can still be worse off overall if it pays materially more during its usual evening peak.

The plan that minimises your annual bill depends on how much electricity you use in every period, not how attractive one three-hour block looks.

Who is most likely to benefit?

The Victorian Government's post-launch guidance says the offer is generally best suited to households that can shift roughly 5% to 30% of their electricity use into the 11 am to 2 pm period.

Strong candidates include homes that can schedule an EV charger, heat-pump hot water, pool pump, dishwasher, washing machine, dryer or compatible battery during the no-cost window. People who work from home or are regularly home during the day may find that easier, but timers and smart controls mean you do not necessarily need to be home.

The percentage is a useful screening guide, not a guaranteed saving threshold. Your existing tariff and the rates outside the free window still determine the result.

Who could be worse off on the Midday Power Saver?

A household with little flexible midday demand and heavy electricity use during the plan's expensive 4 pm to 9 pm peak period may pay more overall. Victorian Energy Compare explicitly warns that the offer may not suit everyone.

The risk is especially relevant if most of your demand occurs after work, during winter evenings, or from loads that cannot easily be scheduled. Compare the annual cost against your existing plan rather than assuming the free window must save money.

How does the Midday Power Saver interact with rooftop solar?

Solar households already produce electricity around midday. If your panels would have powered the dishwasher anyway, moving the dishwasher into the free grid window may create little additional value.

The Victorian Government specifically notes that solar households with an EV or home battery can still benefit by charging them during the free window on days when rooftop generation is lower. That can be more useful in poor weather or winter than on a clear summer day when the solar array is already covering midday demand.

There can also be value when household loads exceed solar production or when the household deliberately exports solar while using no-cost grid electricity where the retail plan and network connection allow that behaviour.

That last strategy should be modelled carefully. Export credits can be low or time-dependent, network export limits apply, and battery conversion losses matter. The opportunity cost of using your own solar is the export credit you would otherwise receive, not the full retail import price.

Compare current Victorian feed-in tariffs ↗

Can you charge a home battery during the free window?

A compatible battery may be able to charge from the grid between 11 am and 2 pm if the inverter, battery controls and installation support scheduled grid charging.

The 24 kWh daily allowance is shared with the rest of the household's grid use during the free period. It is not an additional 24 kWh reserved for the battery.

Charging power also matters. A 30 kWh battery cannot necessarily absorb 30 kWh in three hours. The inverter and battery set the maximum charging rate, household loads share the electrical supply, and conversion losses mean stored energy will be lower than the amount imported from the grid.

Should the Midday Power Saver change the battery size you buy?

It can change the calculation, but it should not automatically make you buy a bigger battery.

The free window gives eligible households another low-cost energy source for charging, so a battery is less dependent on rooftop solar surplus. A larger battery can therefore be rational where you have substantial later-day demand and enough charging power to use the window.

But the battery still has an installed cost, charging losses, degradation and finite output power. The electricity plan also charges more in other periods. Model how much of the extra battery capacity you would actually discharge at valuable times before paying for it.

Use the definitive battery sizing guide ↗

What loads are worth moving into 11 am to 2 pm?

The aim is not to consume 24 kWh simply because it is available. Shift electricity you would otherwise have used at a more expensive time.

Should you run every large appliance at once because electricity is free?

No. The Victorian Government recommends staggering high-power appliances across the three-hour window rather than starting a battery charger, EV charger, hot-water system, dryer and heating or cooling at the same time.

Running several large loads simultaneously can exceed what the home's circuits, switchboard or supply are designed to carry, causing breakers to trip or fuses to operate. If the home has older wiring or an older switchboard and its capacity is uncertain, speak with a licensed electrician before deliberately concentrating multiple high-power loads into the same period.

Smart scheduling can often capture the same free-energy benefit without increasing the instantaneous load. For example, heat the hot water first, then charge the battery, then charge the EV rather than running all three at maximum power for three hours.

See the single-phase, three-phase and switchboard guide ↗

What should you check before switching?

Consumer protections apply. Victorian Energy Compare says customers can switch away from the Midday Power Saver without an exit fee, although you should still ask whether any other charges or conditions apply when changing plans or retailers.

Quick Midday Power Saver questions

Is electricity completely free between 11 am and 2 pm?

The usage charge is $0/kWh during the free period up to the daily 24 kWh allowance. The plan still has a daily supply charge and other usage rates outside the window.

Does the free period run on weekends?

Yes. The 11 am to 2 pm window applies every day, including weekends.

Do I need rooftop solar?

No. The offer is a retail electricity tariff. Rooftop solar is not required.

Can I use it to charge a battery from the grid?

Potentially, if the battery and inverter support scheduled grid charging and the installation is configured to allow it. The battery shares the household's 24 kWh daily allowance and electrical supply capacity.

Do I need to be home during the day?

No. Timers, EV chargers, heat-pump controls and battery schedules can shift loads automatically, although the equipment must be configured safely.

Is it automatically cheaper than my current plan?

No. Compare the whole annual bill. A household that cannot shift enough demand can pay more because the outside-window rates and supply charge may be higher.