Ready for the New Year's Eve night shift.
From Hanoi , I traveled north to Lao Cai in the final days of the year, carrying with me the excitement of someone celebrating "Tet early" with the electricians. Amidst the chilly mountain air, at the Luc Yen Regional Power Plant, Lao Cai Power Company, the spirit of spring was present in every corner: peach blossoms in full bloom, kumquat trees laden with fruit, and red couplets hanging prominently in the meeting room. Amidst the hustle and bustle of preparing for the year-end power surge, the workers in their orange uniforms still managed to gather together to wrap banh chung (traditional Vietnamese rice cakes). The banana leaves were cleaned and neatly arranged; the white sticky rice was carefully washed, the mung beans were smoothed; and the pork belly was neatly placed in the square mold. Their hands, accustomed to pliers, screwdrivers, and electrical wires, now nimbly tied the strings, tightening each loop, and adjusting each corner of the cake to ensure it was even and square. The simple yet warm atmosphere seemed to gather all the flavors of Vietnamese Tet in this remote mountain unit.
Attending the New Year's greetings and meeting with the unit's leaders, and listening to the colleagues share about their all-night shifts, I truly understood the meaning of the word "responsibility." The firm handshakes, the simple yet sincere wishes, contained both sharing and pride. Because in the most sacred moment of the year—when fireworks blaze, when every family gathers to celebrate New Year's Eve—they are still present at the station, on the lines, ready to handle any situation that arises. Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuy Linh, working at the Luc Yen Area Power Management Team, doesn't remember how many times she has celebrated New Year's Eve on duty. For her and her colleagues, participating in the New Year's duty is not just an assigned task, but also a commitment to keeping the electricity flowing to serve the people. No matter the circumstances, they are always ready to go, promptly handling any incidents, so that every family's spring is filled with light.
During Tet (Lunar New Year), when families reunite, the power industry across Northern Vietnam continues its quiet, steadfast operation. From the brightly lit control centers to the substations in remote areas, electricity flows steadily, ensuring uninterrupted production, daily life, and socio-economic activities. Therefore, according to Mr. Ha Minh Tuan, Team Leader of the Luc Yen Area Power Management Team, celebrating Tet early has become a beautiful cultural tradition for power industry employees. Around the 25th or 26th of the 12th lunar month each year, we organize a warm gathering to encourage those on duty during Tet – so that even though they cannot be reunited with their families on New Year's Eve, they can still fully feel the atmosphere of togetherness and the care of the team.
Thousands of shifts are being deployed 24/7.
Serving over 11 million customers in 17 northern provinces and cities, EVNNPC constantly faces immense pressure in electricity supply. The vast geographical area, numerous rugged mountainous regions, harsh weather conditions, and dense fog make the already complex operation of the power grid even more challenging. Especially during the Lunar New Year, the workers in their orange uniforms enter their most stressful and cautious working period. When the demand for lighting, daily life, and entertainment increases, and activities like fireworks displays, sky lanterns, and kite flying take place in many localities, the risk of power outages also increases.
To ensure a stable and safe power supply during the Lunar New Year of the Horse 2026, EVNNPC proactively developed a large-scale power supply plan, assigning thousands of shifts across all member units. From reinforced leadership shifts to 24/7 operation and maintenance shifts, every position is staffed with sufficient personnel, clearly defined roles, and responsibilities.
Mr. Vu Anh Phuong, Deputy General Director of EVNNPC, said that the Corporation had planned and implemented solutions to ensure safe and stable electricity supply for the Lunar New Year holiday well in advance, prioritizing important loads and having backup power in areas where cultural activities, spring fairs, fireworks displays, and entertainment venues take place... in 17 northern provinces/cities; requiring units to commit to not carrying out any work that requires stopping or reducing electricity supply (except in cases of emergency) from 0:00 on February 14th to 24:00 on February 22nd, ensuring uninterrupted electricity supply to serve the people during the Spring Festival. The Corporation's leadership also requested units to pay attention to the well-being of staff and employees on duty...
Simultaneously, spare parts, technical equipment, communication systems, and transportation are prepared to ensure that they can be deployed and handle incidents as quickly as possible should any situation arise. Response scenarios are also thoroughly reviewed to ensure the safe, stable, and continuous operation of the power system throughout the holiday period.
In addition, EVNNPC advises customers and the public to pay attention to safe electricity usage during Tet; warns of high electricity bills, encourages the implementation of effective electricity saving solutions, and warns of fraudsters impersonating the electricity industry to steal customers' assets.
For me, that trip was not just a business trip, but also an honor. I understand that behind the dazzling lights of each spring night lies the silent sacrifice and pride of countless people who choose to celebrate Tet while on duty.
And I believe that when spring knocks on every door, when the lights still shine brightly on every street, that will be the most fitting reward for the silent "soldiers" of the electricity industry - those who choose to celebrate Tet while on duty, so that the electricity continues to flow to welcome the spring.
Source: https://baolangson.vn/tet-som-cua-tho-dien-5077873.html
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