Victorian Midday Power Saver: What Melbourne Homeowners Need to Know

What Is the Victorian Midday Power Saver?

The Midday Power Saver is a state government initiative that provides free electricity to eligible Victorian households during the three-hour window of 11am to 2pm, every single day. The program applies automatically through participating energy retailers, and you can use up to 24 kilowatt-hours of free power per day during those hours.

For a typical Melbourne household, that translates to roughly $300 per year in savings without changing anything about how you use power. For households with solar panels and a battery storage system, the savings can reach $1,070 or more per year.

How Does It Work?

The program works through your energy retailer. If your retailer participates in the scheme, the free power window applies to your account automatically. There is no application process and no special hardware required. You simply use electricity between 11am and 2pm, and those kilowatt-hours are credited at no cost up to the daily 24kWh cap.

Solar installations are surging across Melbourne as homeowners take advantage of free power hours.

The timing is deliberate. Midday is when rooftop solar generation across Victoria is at its peak, which means the wholesale price of electricity often drops to zero or even goes negative. The government is effectively passing those low wholesale costs directly to households.

What Can You Run During Free Power Hours?

With 24kWh of free electricity available each day, you can run a significant amount of your household load during that window. To put it in perspective:

• A typical washing machine cycle uses about 0.5kWh
• A clothes dryer uses roughly 2 to 4kWh per cycle
• A dishwasher uses around 1.5kWh
• Charging an electric vehicle at 7kW for three hours uses approximately 21kWh
• A pool pump running for three hours uses about 3 to 4kWh
• A home battery system can store 10 to 15kWh for use later in the evening

The key strategy is to shift your heaviest energy use into that 11am to 2pm window wherever practical.

Why This Matters for Solar and Battery Owners

If you already have solar panels, the Midday Power Saver changes the equation. During those three hours, your solar panels are generating at their peak. Previously, you would either use that solar power directly or export it to the grid for a feed-in tariff of around 4 to 5 cents per kWh.

EV charger installations require careful load management to avoid supply issues.

Now, with free grid power available during the same window, the optimal strategy shifts. Your solar generation during midday can be directed entirely into your battery storage system while you draw free power from the grid for your immediate household needs. Then in the evening, when electricity costs 25 to 40 cents per kWh, you use the stored solar energy instead of buying from the grid.

This is where households with solar and battery systems see savings approaching $1,070 per year. The combination of free daytime grid power and stored solar for evening use means you are buying almost no electricity at peak rates.

How to Maximise Your Savings

1. Install Timer Controls on Heavy Appliances

Set your dishwasher, washing machine and dryer to run during the free window. Modern smart plugs and timer switches make this simple. We can install dedicated circuits with timer controls for pool pumps, hot water systems and other fixed appliances.

2. Charge Your EV During Free Hours

If you have an electric vehicle charger at home, schedule your charging for 11am to 2pm. A Level 2 charger at 7kW will add roughly 100km of range in those three hours, completely free. Most modern EV chargers, including models from Sigenergy, Tesla and Fronius, support scheduled charging through their apps.

3. Add a Battery System

A home battery lets you store free midday power for use in the evening. Combined with solar panels charging the battery from your roof at the same time, this creates a system where you are barely drawing from the grid during expensive peak hours.

4. Upgrade Your Switchboard

Older switchboards may not support the smart metering, timer circuits and load management needed to take full advantage of time-of-use pricing. A modern switchboard upgrade ensures your home is ready for smart energy management.

Do You Need to Do Anything to Sign Up?

No. If your energy retailer is part of the scheme, the free power window applies to your account automatically from 1 October 2026. Check with your retailer to confirm they are participating. Most major Victorian retailers have opted in.

However, to truly maximise the benefit, you may want to consider electrical upgrades such as timer controls, a dedicated EV charging circuit, battery storage, or a switchboard upgrade. These are investments that pay for themselves faster now that three hours of daily power are free.

Frequently Asked Questions