Disclosed are various embodiments of load shedding techniques for a guided surface wave power delivery system. In one embodiment, among others, a guided surface waveguide probe is configured to transmit a guided surface wave along a lossy conducting medium; and a load shedding controller device is configured to send load shedding instructions to a plurality of user devices. The load shedding instructions regulate user device consumption of electrical energy provided by the guided surface wave amongst the plurality of user devices by spreading out activation and deactivation of load shedding conservations amongst the plurality of user devices.