HEPCO flexible energy saving solutions

Currently, HEPCO is carrying out the task of lighting main streets for 336km, with a lighting rate of 98%. Lighting alleys and lanes for 142km, with a lighting rate of 65%. The total installed capacity is 1,830KW, with 15,372 bulbs of all kinds. Of which, LED bulbs are 5,671, accounting for 37%.

According to HEPCO's representative, because the majority of Hue City's public lighting system still uses more than 60% old, degraded lampshades and energy-saving LED bulbs account for less than 40%, it consumes a lot of electricity.

In addition, the lighting system of many roads that controls the power saving mode at night by reducing half the number of lights (phase cutting) still has many shortcomings, such as uneven lighting, causing "light potholes", not ensuring traffic safety and reducing the aesthetics of the road, not meeting standards but not being invested in or replaced is also the reason why it has not reduced power as expected.

However, to ensure that both public lighting and traffic safety needs are met and electricity is saved during the dry season, HEPCO annually implements effective electricity saving solutions. This year, the weather forecast is complicated and the heat is intense, so people's electricity demand will increase. To contribute to the electricity industry's capacity reduction, starting from May 20, HEPCO has cut off off-peak lighting hours.

Specifically, in the central area of Hue City, the evening power on time now starts at 6:20 pm and the power off time is 4:50 am the next morning. Previously, the central areas were 100% powered from early night to morning. Areas 1 and 2 have similar lighting on and off times. The only difference is that previously, these two areas had a half-cut off mode for vehicle lights along the route from 11:30 pm, but now it is completely cut off at 4:50 am every day. In the expanded ward and commune areas, the evening power on time every day starts at 6:30 pm and the power off time is 4:30 am.

In priority areas such as Le Duan and Hung Vuong streets (depending on each section) and the Western Quarter, the alternating lighting cut-off time is implemented at 10:30 PM and the power cut-off time is at 4:30 AM. Previously, these areas were given priority to have electricity from early night to morning.

Compared to winter lighting, HEPCO currently reduces the power on/off time by about 1 hour, meaning that the winter power on/off time is about 5pm every day and the power off is at 6am. In summer, the power on/off is at 5:30pm and the power off is at 5am. However, thanks to the automatic control system, each location can be monitored. If it is a sunny day with a lot of light, the power on/off time can be delayed, or if it is cloudy and dark, the power on/off time can be adjusted earlier to flexibly ensure light for pedestrians.

According to HEPCO, the options for cutting lighting hours have been carefully calculated over many years of implementing lighting tasks. Even when electricity prices have not increased, the company has implemented solutions to save electricity in the dry season to reduce lighting costs for the budget.

In the summer, around 5am, the sky is already bright, so there is no need to light up, which is wasteful. Similarly, in the afternoon, around 6pm, it starts to get dark, and then it needs to be lit up. Moreover, many families now use solar energy bulbs to light up their gates, which is also a solution to contribute to public lighting and save electricity.

This is also one of the solutions that HEPCO has implemented to mobilize people to join hands in public lighting and reduce electricity consumption. Along with that, HEPCO is also gradually replacing traditional light bulbs with energy-saving bulbs. Implementing the project to renovate and upgrade the lighting of some central streets of Hue City, phase 2021-2025, installing 1,450 LED lights, with a total cost of about 20 billion VND; the project to replace 1,071 LED lights on central streets sponsored by the Luxembourg Government ... It is expected that by 2025, lighting of main streets will reach 100%, of which LED lighting will reach 50%.

HEPCO leaders said that thanks to the application of solutions to adjust lighting hours, alternating lighting..., the unit has reduced a large amount of electricity consumption, which means saving a part of the cost for the State budget. Replacing LED bulbs alone has helped save nearly 200 million VND in electricity bills each year. In the near future, when the amount of new LED bulbs replaced reaches 50% of the total number of street lighting bulbs, lighting costs will be reduced even more.

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