Minister of Industry and Trade: Be proactive in situations, ensure electricity supply

Minister Nguyen Hong Dien chaired a meeting on the electricity supply plan for the last 6 months of 2025 and the development of the electricity supply plan for 2026. (Photo: PV/Vietnam+)

At the meeting on the electricity supply plan for the last 6 months of 2025 and the development of the electricity supply plan for 2026, promoting the progress of key power source and grid projects, organized by the Ministry of Industry and Trade on June 24, Minister Nguyen Hong Dien requested functional units to proactively plan the operation and maintenance of the entire power system. The goal is to ensure that the entire system is ready at the highest level to meet electricity demand during the year.

Closely followed the realistic scenario of load demand

Reporting at the meeting, Mr. Pham Nguyen Hung, Director of the Electricity Department (Ministry of Industry and Trade) said that in the first 6 months of 2025, the total electricity output of the entire national system (including rooftop solar power) is estimated at 156.4 billion kWh, 3.04% higher than the same period in 2024, reaching 45% of the 2025 Plan (347.5 billion kWh) approved by the Ministry of Industry and Trade in Decision No. 3300/QD-BCT dated December 15, 2024.

The main reason is that the national temperature is lower than the same period and the whole past year, the load demand does not increase as forecasted at the beginning of the year. In the first 6 months of the year, the largest consumption capacity of the national power system reached 51,672 MW recorded on June 2, 2025, 5.7% higher than the same period in 2024 (in the North alone, the largest consumption capacity increased by 2,632 MW to 26,495 MW).

However, the electricity supply in the first 6 months of 2025 has successfully completed the set target, meeting the needs of socio -economic development thanks to detailed preparation from the planning for the whole year, each quarter and for the dry season, and at the same time, there are monthly updates and adjustments in accordance with the practical situation.

“The electricity supply has met the actual electricity demand, ensuring electricity supply during holidays, Tet and major, important political and cultural events of the country,” said the leader of the Electricity Department.

Regarding the electricity supply plan for the remaining months of 2025, according to the updated report of the National Electricity System and Market Operation One Member Limited Liability Company (NSMO), the total electricity production and import output for the whole year of 2025 is estimated at 331.4 billion kWh, an increase of 7.39% compared to 2024, estimated at 95.4% compared to the 2025 Plan.

However, there are some notes on the electricity supply in the remaining months of 2025, such as: The national power system basically meets enough electricity for socio-economic development and people's needs for most of the year. To ensure electricity supply, the national power system still needs to reserve and mobilize oil-fired thermal power sources and LNG sources to meet load demand, especially during peak hours in the evening in the Southern region when solar power is not generated.

Speaking at the meeting, Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan, General Director of Vietnam Electricity Group (EVN), said that in the last 6 months of 2025, EVN has closely followed the actual scenario of load demand to update the power system operation plan.

EVN recommends that relevant units continue to use hydrological data with high variability, according to forecast bulletins of the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting to serve the calculation of operation plans and power supply methods in July as well as the last months of the year. At the same time, it requests that NSMO continue to closely coordinate and provide maximum support to EVN's member units in arranging power outages to construct projects, especially projects related to key traffic works and important energy projects according to the Prime Minister's direction on the investment situation in constructing power source and grid projects.

Sharing more, Mr. Phan Xuan Thuy, Deputy General Director of Vietnam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group (TKV) said that in the first 6 months of 2025, the amount of coal supplied to thermal power plants reached about 22.37 million tons, equivalent to 52.3% of the annual plan and 54.8% of the progress according to the signed contract. Compared to the coal supply chart issued by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, this figure reached 96.78%, a decrease of about 723,000 tons compared to the same period in 2024.

TKV said that during this period, the unit has focused on ensuring power generation according to system requirements, meeting peak demand in the dry season and maintaining minimum inventory for thermal power plants at a safe level, about 3.5 million tons.

TKV plans to supply about 19.23 million tons of coal in the last 6 months of 2025, of which about 8.12 million tons in the third quarter and about 11.11 million tons in the fourth quarter. Thus, the total coal output supplied in 2025 will reach about 40.0-41.6 million tons, equivalent to 97.4% of the annual plan and 102% compared to the chart of the Ministry of Industry and Trade. TKV affirms that it always maintains a large inventory to ensure supply capacity in emergency situations.

No fuel shortages

To ensure electricity supply, Minister Nguyen Hong Dien assigned the Electricity Department to preside over and closely coordinate with NSMO to urgently develop a plan for electricity supply and operation of the national power system in 2026.

Regarding load forecasting, the Minister requested that Vietnam Electricity (EVN) coordinate with NSMO in forecasting growth in electricity load demand; assessing the composition of commercial electricity; assessing the impact of the increase in distributed power sources, especially self-produced and self-consumed rooftop solar power.

Leaders of the Ministry of Industry and Trade noted that EVN should proactively coordinate with local electricity companies to maintain, repair and upgrade the basic power grid system; ensure the ability to absorb the rapidly growing rooftop solar power source; and meet technical safety requirements in new operating conditions.

Regarding the issue of regulating and reasonably exploiting hydropower reservoirs, the Minister emphasized the need to effectively exploit and reasonably regulate hydropower reservoirs, especially large irrigation reservoirs in the North, to meet electricity demand during the peak dry season months of 2026.

Regarding the preparation of coal fuel for thermal power plants, Minister Nguyen Hong Dien requested the Vietnam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group (TKV), Dong Bac Corporation and investors of thermal power plants to proactively develop production plans and supply sufficient coal to meet the needs of the power system in each month of 2026.

"Absolutely do not let there be a passive situation regarding fuel in accordance with the direction of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Industry and Trade," the Minister noted.

He also assigned the Oil and Gas - Coal Department to coordinate with relevant parties to study a mechanism for flexible adjustment of fuel supply plans, at least quarterly, to ensure harmony of interests among parties. Coal-fired thermal power plants also need to increase fuel reserves, ready to respond when the power system needs high mobilization.

The Minister also requested units such as PVN, PV GAS... to proactively develop plans for production, import-export and gas supply, ensuring sufficient supply for power generation according to system demand; apply flexible and coordinated operating mechanisms, calculate gas allocation based on committed offtake contracts, ensuring feasibility in power system operation...

( According to https://www.vietnamplus.vn/bo-truong-cong-thuong-chu-dong-cac-tinh-huong-dam-bao-cung-ung-dien-post1046143.vnp )

Source: https://baoapbac.vn/kinh-te/202506/bo-truong-cong-thuong-chu-dong-cac-tinh-huong-dam-bao-cung-ung-dien-1046074/