Hot weather and hungry datacentres lift Australia’s energy demand to record highs but batteries quell prices

Rise in electricity demand in first quarter of 2026 was moderated by record output from rooftop solar Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast More datacentres and warmer conditions helped push electricity demand to record highs in the first three months of the year, according to Australia’s Energy Market Operator, while growth in batteries kept average wholesale prices down. Electricity demand – from households, business and industry – reached record levels of 25GW in Q1 202