Vietnam government asks for end to power shortages in June

Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Commission for the Management of State Capital at Enterprises, Vietnam Electricity (EVN), and Petrovietnam have been requested to resolve current power shortages in June.

Standing government members, in their latest conclusion on solutions to stabilize the country’s economy, asked the ministry (MoIT) and the units to accelerate power and transmission projects, and mobilize more rooftop solar power.

The MoIT was asked to speed up the progress of the Quang Trach II power plant in the central province of Quang Binh. The MoIT and the Commission for the Management of State Capital at Enterprises (CMSC) have also been assigned to supervise the implementation of a 3,500-kilovolt transmission line from the central region to the North, which is part of Vietnam’s newly-approved Power Plan VIII.

The government instructed the MoIT to work on a mechanism in July to encourage the use of rooftop solar power to serve residents and public offices, and another mechanism for direct power purchasing agreements.

Since the end of May, the northern region has been experiencing power cuts due to soaring demand in the hot season. Hydroelectricity output, one of the two main sources of electricity for the North, has fallen due to drought.

However, on Wednesday, water levels in hydroelectric reservoirs rose by 3-10 meters compared to the end of last week thanks to heavy rainfall, but some power plants are still operating at a low capacity to ensure supplies and save water.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on June 6 requested urgent measures to ensure power supplies during the upcoming dry season and beyond. In a dispatch, he emphasized that the severe heat and impacts of the El Nino phenomenon have led to a surge in power demand, coupled with drought in the country causing extremely low water levels in hydropower reservoirs, thus affecting the electricity supplies.

He requested the MoIT to take over management of the National Load Dispatch Center from EVN this June.

Director of Vietnam's National Load Dispatch Center (A0) Nguyen Duc Ninh was suspended from his position on Wednesday as authorities conduct inspections into the management of power supplies.

The center manages power generation, transmission, and distribution to ensure the safe and stable operation of the power system. A0 is also responsible for operating power plants, regulating reservoirs, and fixing problems on the 500kV national transmission system.