The fact that nationwide electricity output has repeatedly set new records since mid-May highlights the significant pressure on the national power system and underscores the urgent need for effective system operation and optimal mobilisation of power sources.

Multiple operational records set

According to the National Electricity System and Market Operation Company Limited (NSMO), nationwide electricity consumption exceeded 1.152 billion kWh on May 15, the highest level recorded since the beginning of the year and equivalent to 103.6% of the peak level recorded in 2025.

On the same day, the national power system’s peak capacity reached 54,654 MW at 2:15 p.m., equal to 95.5% of the highest level recorded in the previous year.

Notably, electricity consumption had already set records two days prior, reaching 1.1 billion kWh on May 13 and 1.13 billion kWh on May 14.

According to NSMO, these developments clearly reflect the impact of prolonged heatwaves across large areas of the country and demonstrate the strong pace of economic recovery and growth, which has driven a sharp increase in electricity demand.

Nguyen Quoc Trung, Deputy General Director of NSMO, said the company had forecast a significant surge in electricity demand immediately after the Reunification Day (April 30) and May Day (May 1) holidays. Based on these forecasts, operational plans for the power system had been prepared well in advance to ensure a safe and stable electricity supply for production activities and daily life.

However, the record-breaking electricity consumption levels have also placed considerable pressure on the power sector in general and on NSMO in particular in ensuring power supply security.

In the electricity consumption structure on May 15, the northern region used approximately 557 million kWh, accounting for 48.42% of the total national consumption; the southern region consumed about 487 million kWh, equivalent to 42.2%; while the central region used 108 million kWh, accounting for 9.4%.

The southern region continued to record the strong increase in demand, with peak capacity of 23,462 MW, equivalent to 105.5% of the record level recorded in 2025. Peak capacity in the northern region reached 26,419 MW.

NSMO assessed that despite the sharp surge in demand, the national power system maintained safe and stable operation; power sources were optimally mobilised to meet rising electricity consumption during periods of extreme heat.

Maximising power generation sources

To meet rapidly increasing electricity demand from the beginning of the dry season, NSMO worked closely with power generation units and implemented various source preparation measures from late 2025.

According to Nguyen Quoc Trung, the company closely monitored maintenance schedules at power plants to minimise shutdowns of major power generating units during the dry season. At the same time, thermal and hydropower sources were optimally operated to ensure sufficient supply during periods of peak demand.

For hydropower plants, NSMO coordinated with relevant ministries and sectors to operate reservoirs flexibly, conserving water resources for the hottest months, particularly May, June, and July.

In the power source mobilisation structure on May 15, coal-fired thermal power remained the main source, producing approximately 615.6 million kWh and accounting for 53.4% of total output of the whole system.

Hydropower contributed around 288 million kWh, equivalent to 25%, while gas-fired turbines generated about 102.9 million kWh.

Solar power output reached approximately 48.2 million kWh, rooftop solar power contributed about 44 million kWh, and wind power generated around 33.5 million kWh.

According to Nguyen Ba Hoai, Deputy Head of NSMO’s Renewable Energy Department, the total installed capacity of renewable energy sources has now reached approximately 22,000 MW, accounting for around 28% of the total installed capacity of the national power system.

However, the rapid growth rate of renewable energy has also created significant challenges for power system dispatching and operation.

One of the biggest difficulties is the high variability of wind and solar power, which depends heavily on weather conditions. At certain times, renewable energy output can fluctuate by between 1,500 MW and 2,000 MW within a single hour.

To improve the accuracy of operational planning, NSMO has implemented various forecasting solutions for renewable energy generation, including the use of international forecasting systems in combination with domestic forecasting models.