The Ministry of Industry and Trade calls for increased electricity saving measures.

TPO - On the morning of May 24th, Minister of Industry and Trade Le Manh Hung held a working session with relevant units on ensuring electricity supply amidst intense heat and continuously increasing demand. Promoting electricity conservation is one of the solutions the Ministry of Industry and Trade is focusing on at this time.

Reporting at the meeting, a representative from the Electricity Department ( Ministry of Industry and Trade ) stated that the total electricity output of the entire system as of May 22nd (cumulative for the whole year 2026) reached 18.97 billion kWh, 8% higher than the same period in 2025, and 36.8% of the approved 2026 plan. The cumulative electricity demand for the first five months of 2026 is projected to grow by approximately 8.7% compared to the same period in 2025.

The leaders of the National Power System and Electricity Market Operation Company Limited (NSMO) also stated that the total electricity demand for the entire system in 2026 is expected to grow by approximately 8.9 - 9.2%.

Notably, on May 15, 2026, nationwide electricity consumption reached an all-time high of 1.152 billion kWh, exceeding the 2025 record by approximately 37.9 million kWh; the peak capacity of the national power system reached 54,654 MW at 2:15 PM, with the evening peak load at 9:30 PM also increasing to approximately 51,900 MW, close to the afternoon peak.

To meet the increasing electricity demand, NSMO has implemented a series of flexible operational solutions to ensure the safe operation of the national power system. In particular, the unit proactively coordinates with meteorological agencies and weather forecasting experts to receive early updates on heatwave developments to inform operational planning.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade held a meeting to discuss solutions for saving electricity.

Many solutions to promote electricity saving.

Mr. Nguyen Danh Duyen, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Hanoi Electricity Corporation (EVNHANOI), said that to reduce peak load, the corporation has signed commitments with more than 230,000 customers in the administrative, production, and commercial service sectors to implement efficient and economical electricity usage.

To reduce peak load, Hanoi Power Corporation (EVNHANOI) has expanded its Demand Response (DR) program to include customers using 500,000 kWh/year or more. To date, over 1,000 customers have participated in the program, potentially shifting approximately 100 MW of load capacity. Simultaneously, the corporation has signed commitments with over 230,000 customers in the administrative, manufacturing, and commercial service sectors to implement efficient and economical electricity usage.

“The unit also intensified communication with concise, memorable messages such as “Hanoi 26+”, “2 on, 3 off”, “small things add up to big things”… through social media, KOLs, TikTok and digital media platforms to change people's electricity usage behavior during peak hours,” Mr. Duyen shared.

Ms. Do Nguyet Anh, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of Northern Power Corporation (EVNNPC), shared this at the meeting.

According to Ms. Do Nguyet Anh, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of the Northern Power Corporation (EVNNPC), EVNNPC has coordinated with the Departments of Industry and Trade of the provinces to submit electricity supply plans to the local People's Committees for approval. These plans include developing various scenarios for adjusting the load by 5% to 30% in case of localized power shortages.

In addition, EVNNPC is also coordinating with small hydropower plants to adjust power generation hours to suit the new peak hours of the system, adding approximately 2,000-3,000 MW during evening hours. Simultaneously, electricity saving activities and the development of rooftop solar power are also being actively promoted.

Minister of Industry and Trade Le Manh Hung gave instructions at the meeting.

Improving mechanisms and policies

Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Truong Thanh Hoai emphasized that to ensure energy security in the context of increasing electricity demand, it is necessary to quickly review and improve mechanisms and policies to shorten procedures and create favorable conditions for the development of self-sufficient rooftop solar power and urgent power generation projects. According to Mr. Hoai, many current solutions are only at the encouragement and mobilization stage, so it is necessary to quickly institutionalize them into mandatory regulations to improve energy efficiency, especially for high-power consuming appliances such as air conditioners, and to strengthen the promotion of electricity saving.

Concluding the meeting, Minister Le Manh Hung highly appreciated the sense of responsibility, proactiveness, and management and operational methods of the National Power Grid Management Center (NSMO) and other power sector units in the context of earlier and higher-than-expected increases in load demand. The Minister emphasized that the units had proactively identified problems, coordinated closely, and regularly updated information to optimize the operation plan for the national power system.

The Minister requested that NSMO, EVN, and related units review and update the entire electricity supply scenario for 2026 based on actual load developments, especially the possibility that peak power demand in the North may exceed previous forecasts. At the same time, a thorough reassessment of both supply and demand sides is needed, along with calculations of load shifting solutions, adjustments to peak hours, and the maximum mobilization of existing resources to ensure that there is no electricity shortage under any circumstances.

The Minister emphasized the urgent need to remove bottlenecks in mechanisms, policies, and procedures to promote investment in new power sources, rooftop solar power, direct power trading, and energy storage projects (BESS). Issues within the purview of relevant agencies must be addressed immediately, avoiding a situation where responsibility is passed on between units.

The head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade also requested strengthened control over the operation and maintenance of power plants, a firm grasp of the situation regarding coal, gas, LNG fuels and spare parts; and the acceleration of base power generation projects, especially urgent key projects, to supplement capacity for the Northern power system.

In addition to the proposed technical solutions, the Minister also requested enhanced coordination between the Ministry of Industry and Trade, localities, the electricity sector, and provincial departments of industry and trade in managing the transmission and distribution grid; and to promptly develop a national program on electricity saving linked to a synchronized communication strategy from the central to local levels. The Industry and Trade Newspaper was tasked with coordinating with VTV and other media outlets to promote the efficient and economical use of electricity during the peak hot season.

Source: https://tienphong.vn/bo-cong-thuong-yeu-cau-day-manh-tiet-kiem-dien-post1848031.tpo