Earlier this year, the Victorian Government announced the Midday Power Saver. Free power in the middle of the day, every day. It made a few headlines back in autumn, then most of us got on with the year and forgot about it.
It is worth putting back on your radar, because it starts on the 1st of October 2026. That is only a month away.
When it comes to free power, it pays to be prepared. We have put together a short checklist to help you make the most of it from the 1st of October.
A Quick Refresher on the Midday Power Saver
The Midday Power Saver gives Victorian households a free electricity window between 11 am and 2 pm, every day. It is available from the 1st of October 2026.
Most retailers will be required to offer it, but it will be something you have to opt in for.
The initiative is regulated and reviewed each year by Victoria’s independent energy regulator, the Essential Services Commission. It is locked in and on track for the October start, so it is a good time to start thinking about how it fits your home.
What It Could Mean for Your Bill
The savings depend on how much of your electricity you use or can shift into the free window once you have opted in with your retailer. Without a battery, the offer could save around $300 a year.
If you have solar panels and a battery, the numbers get better.
Households with both could save up to around $1,070 a year, because a home battery lets you store the free midday power and use it later, perfect for rainy winter days.
One Thing to Keep in Mind
Taking advantage of the offer can only happen if you have opted in with your retailer. To make it work best for your home, you need to shift some of your energy use into the middle of the day.
The offer suits households that can run appliances during the three free hours. If you are not home between 11am and 2pm, you can set appliances on a timer so you still take advantage of the free window.
How to Get Ready Before October
A little preparation now just means you can opt in smoothly once the window opens. Here is where to start.
Check You Have a Smart Meter
A smart meter is the one thing you will need to access the offer. If you are already on a time-of-use tariff, you have one. If you are not sure, a quick call to your retailer will confirm it.
The smart meter rollout was completed more than a decade ago, so most homes already have one.
If you do need one installed, it goes through your retailer and the cost is added to your electricity bill over time, so it is worth sorting early.
Think About What You Can Shift to the Middle of the Day
Look at the appliances that use the most power and do not need you to turn them on. These are the easy wins to move into the free window.
Most of these can run on a delay-start timer or a smart schedule, so you do not need to be home.
Here are some examples of shifting your energy use to the middle of the day:
- Household appliances: set the dishwasher, washing machine and dryer on a delayed-start timer
- Heating or cooling: set to run between 11 am and 2 pm so the house is comfortable by evening
- Hot water and pool pumps: scheduled for the midday window
- Battery charging: set to the free window, if you have one
Talk to Your Retailer From October
The offer is not automatic. From the 1st of October 2026, you will need to contact your retailer to request a Midday Power Saver plan, then check whether it suits your household.
How Solar and Batteries Change the Picture
You do not need solar or a battery to benefit from the Midday Power Saver. Anyone with a smart meter can opt in. That said, solar and batteries do change how much you get out of it.
If You Already Have Solar
If you already have solar, the value of the power you export at midday is very low these days.
So much solar is going into the grid at that time that feed-in tariffs have dropped right down. That is already the case today, and the Midday Power Saver does not change it.
This gives you a way to make peace with that low feed-in tariff. Rather than sending your midday generation to the grid for very little, the real opportunity is to store it.
A home battery lets you keep that power and use it when it is worth the most, through the expensive evening hours.
If You Have a Battery
A battery is where this offer really pays off. You can charge it from the grid for free between 11 am and 2 pm, which means it is full every single afternoon.
That holds true no matter the weather. On a grey, rainy winter day when your panels are barely producing, the free window still tops your battery right up. You do not need the sun out to get the benefit. Then you draw on that stored power through the expensive evening hours.
This is why a battery lifts the potential saving to around $1,070 a year. It turns a three-hour window into round-the-clock value.
Where Bluegum Can Help
Most of the steps to get ready for the Midday Power Saver you can do yourself. Check your meter, learn the delay-start settings on your appliances and talk to your retailer by the 1st of October.
Free Power Adds Up Fastest in an All-Electric Home
It is worth stepping back and thinking about the bigger picture. There is no such thing as free gas. Gas only keeps getting more expensive, and there is no free window for it.
An all-electric home is where a free power window really adds up. When your heating, cooling, hot water and car all run on electricity, the amount you can shift into that midday window is far higher.
You can run heating or cooling during the day even when no one is home, heat your hot water off the free power and charge your battery, all for nothing. It is one more reason the move to an all-electric home keeps paying off.
Design a System Around Your Free Window
If you have been weighing up solar or a battery, this is where we come in. We design systems for homeowners across Sunbury and the Macedon Ranges every day, built around how your family actually uses energy.
Come to us with the goal of making the most of the free power window, and we can help you lower your bill and get the most out of your system. No pressure, just honest advice.
The Bottom Line
The Midday Power Saver starts on the 1st of October 2026, giving Victorian households free power between 11 am and 2 pm every day.
It is optional and easy to prepare for. Check you have a smart meter, think about which appliances you can shift to the middle of the day, and opt in with your retailer once the window opens.
And if you have been thinking about the next step in going all-electric, getting ready for the free power window is a great place to start.
If you have been thinking about the next step in going all-electric for your home, being ready for the Midday Power Saver is a great goal to have. Our team can help you work out where to start. Book a free onsite consult
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I Need Solar or a Battery to Use the Midday Power Saver?
No. The offer is open to any Victorian household with a smart meter. Solar and a battery let you get more out of it, but anyone can opt in and start shifting appliances into the free 11 am to 2 pm window.
When Does the Midday Power Saver Start?
It starts on the 1st of October 2026. From that date, you can contact your retailer and ask for a Midday Power Saver plan. It is optional, and most retailers will be required to offer it.
How Much Could I Save?
It depends on how much power you can use during the free window. A typical household that shifts some usage could save around $300 a year. Households with solar panels and a home battery could save up to around $1,070 a year.
What Do I Need to Do to Be Ready?
Make sure you have a smart meter, as that is the one requirement. Then think about which appliances you can run between 11 am and 2 pm, ideally on a timer. From the 1st of October 2026, you can opt in with your retailer.