Illustrative image (Source: VNA)

Hanoi - The northern region is facing the risk of power shortage at almost every point of time each day, according to Tran Viet Hoa, head of the Electricity Regulatory Authority of Vietnam under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT).

Hoa told the press on June 7 that as of June 6, most of the major hydroelectric reservoirs in the north, including Lai Chau, Son La, Tuyen Quang, Ban Chat, Hua Na and Thac Ba, had reached the “dead water level” or even below that.

Only the Hoa Binh reservoir can ensure its plant to generate electricity until June 12-13, he said, adding that once its water level hits the “dead point”, a total of 5,000MW or even up to 7,000MW would be lost in the region.

As of June 6, the combined capacity of the hydroelectric plants stood at 3,110MW, only 23.7% of their designed capacity.

Over the past time, thanks to efforts in supplying coal for thermal power plants, turbines have been running at full capacity, which, however, has caused equipment incidents.

Therefore, the northern thermal power plants generated only 11,934MW, making up 76.6% of their designed capacity, as of June 6, Hoa noted.

The accumulative capacity of the northern power system reaches only 17,500MW-17,900MW, including 2,500MW-2,700MW from the southern and central regions, as compared with whole northern region’s demand of 23,500MW-24,000MW, the official pointed out.

Given this, Ngo Son Hai, Deputy General Director of the Vietnam Electricity (EVN), said the Northern Power Corporation and the Hanoi Power Corporation will allocate electricity to each city and province based on guidelines of the MoIT, and the localities will outline plans and identify priorities in power supply.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh recently issued a dispatch, urging drastic measures to ensure electricity supply in this dry season and the coming time.

Under the dispatch, the MoIT was asked to promptly finalise a PM’s directive on strengthening power saving in the 2023-2025 period and following years and submit to the PM by June 8. The ministry was also ordered to complete a PM’s decree on ensuring power supply and the supply of coal and gas for electricity production and submit to him by June 15.

Particularly, the EVN was asked to focus on building scenarios to respond to difficulties in power supply and rolling out effective power saving measures, especially in June.

The PM also assigned the MoIT to form an inspection team to examine the power supply management at the EVN from January 2021 to June 1, 2023.