A load drive system for driving a load supplied with power from a power line includes a control unit which controls switching between the power line and the load and a communication unit which communicates using voltage and current of the power line. When performing the switching, the control unit controls, based on a width of a transition period of the power-line current, the transition period being attributable to the switching, timing of the switching so as to move the transition period away from a center of a period corresponding to a symbol communicated by the communication unit.