Prime Minister requests inspection of electricity supply

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh assigned the Ministry of Industry and Trade to establish an inspection team on EVN's management and electricity supply from early 2021 to June this year.

This content is stated in the telegram on ensuring electricity supply signed and issued by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh today.

Accordingly, the Prime Minister requested the Ministry of Industry and Trade to review and carefully evaluate the current electricity supply situation, especially the arising factors affecting the electricity supply assurance to enhance effectiveness. The Ministry should soon guide EVN to develop proactive scenarios to promptly respond to electricity difficulties, to be completed before June 10.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade must complete the Prime Minister's directive on electricity saving for 2023-2025; the directive on ensuring electricity supply, coal and gas supply for electricity production. These tasks must be reported and submitted to the Prime Minister before June 8 and 15.

The Ministry was also assigned to establish an inspection team on EVN's electricity management and supply from the beginning of 2021 to early June this year.

Negotiations on electricity prices with transitional renewable energy projects (solar power, wind power) are required to be completed in June, in the spirit of "harmonized benefits and shared risks".

Regarding the power transmission grid, the Prime Minister requested the Ministry of Industry and Trade to review and guide investment, including investment in the form of public-private partnership, and submit to the Prime Minister a plan to implement the 8th Power Plan.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade will soon adjust the management and direction of the National Power System Control Center (A0) to the Ministry in June and study appropriate and effective policies.

Power workers repair power lines. Photo: Nguyet Nghi — Power workers repair power lines. Photo: *Nguyet Nghi*

Regarding Vietnam Electricity Group (EVN), the Prime Minister requested mobilizing all resources and making the greatest efforts to ensure electricity supply. EVN proactively builds flexible scenarios to respond to difficulties in electricity supply.

This group is assigned to directly troubleshoot power plants, especially power plants in the North, to put them into operation as soon as possible.

The Vietnam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group (TKV) and the Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (PVN) will provide enough coal and gas for power plants as requested by EVN and immediately fix problems at power plants under their authority, putting them into operation in June.

People's Committees of provinces and cities, together with EVN, corporations and power companies, implement scenarios to cope with difficulties in electricity supply and save electricity in the coming time.

The intense heat and the impact of El Nino have increased the demand for electricity for daily life. Little rain in the northern provinces has resulted in very low water levels in hydroelectric reservoirs, affecting the electricity supply during this year's dry season.

The average electricity consumption nationwide reached nearly 820 million kWh per day in May, up more than 20% compared to April. On May 19 alone, the consumption was nearly 924 million kWh, the highest level since the beginning of the year and up 10.5% compared to the same period last year. The maximum consumption capacity also peaked at 44,600 MW and increased by 8.5% compared to the same period last year.

At the end of April, EVN predicted that the North could lack 1,600-4,900 MW during the dry season. More than a month later, the power supply situation is in a more "urgent" state when, according to calculations by the National Power System Dispatch Center (A0), the Northern power system could lack about 8,000 MW in extreme cases, an increase of 60% compared to the previous forecast. Therefore, A0 proposed to increase the maximum power outage of the national power system from 8,000 MW to 15,000 MW, equivalent to a decrease of 8,100 MW in power supply for the North. Of which, the largest power outage in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City is about 4,100 MW.

The group said its mobilization strategy during this time is to maintain maximum operation of coal, oil and gas and renewable energy sources to maintain water levels in hydroelectric reservoirs, and gradually raise water levels in large lakes in the North.

In addition to saving, the electricity industry also encourages customers to adjust their usage time during peak hot hours and participate in the load reduction (DR) program. Currently, there are about 11,000 business customers participating in this program, with an estimated daily savings of about 20 million kWh, equivalent to 2.5% of electricity consumption.

EVN also requested localities to save 10% of electricity in the headquarters of administrative agencies; headquarters of electricity units to reduce 15% of electricity consumption; and reduce local lighting capacity by 50% compared to the same period last year.

Mr. Minh

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