Anatomy of north’s desperate power shortage

Blackout Gives Bac Ninh Worker Day Off

For almost a decade, he had never experienced this before. The clock struck 8 p.m. on June 4, and his manager sent him a notification stating that he wouldn't need to show up for work the following day due to a planned power outage from 5 a.m. until 5 p.m.

According to him, several fellow workers at Yen Phong Industrial Park situated in the province along with Thang Long Industrial Park located in Hanoi have been granted alternative days of rest due to the same cause.

Numerous establishments in the northern regions are being compelled to halt their operations due to the occurrence of power failures.

In the capital city's center, Hoan Kiem Lake has been resembling "Earth Hour" evenings lately. This is due to the fact that the lighting for the flower gardens, sidewalks, and surrounding areas is switched off as early as 7 or 8 p.m.

Switching off the lights as an electricity saving measure is now commonplace in Hanoi and various other areas due to the suggestions made by the government-operated power company, Vietnam Electricity (EVN).

In lots of neighborhoods, the power grid is turned off entirely and some of the street lights are not in use.

Electricity providers had to implement sudden power outages in various locations in Hanoi and provinces up north during this recent period, in order to maintain the security and protection of the power grid.

During a meeting with local businesses, Le Anh Duong, chairman of the People's Committee in Bac Giang Province, announced that starting from June 6th, they will be cutting down on the usage of electricity for daily activities in order to focus more on industrial production.

According to the deputy head of the National Assembly’s Committee for Social Affairs, Do Thi Lan, the impact of power cuts on people's lives and the economy is severe as it lasts for hours during both day and night.

This lack of electricity is causes for concern.

According to her, even though summer has kickstarted and the economy is moving towards improvement, several companies are still struggling to obtain orders. Additionally, some sectors related to production and commerce are not performing well.

During the month of April, EVN gave a notice that there could be a lack of electricity in the northern regions, reaching a range of 1,600-4,900 megawatts during the summer season.

During a press conference conducted by the government on June 4th, the Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, Do Thang Hai, mentioned that the shortage had already affected the northern region. This has resulted in difficulties in the production industry as well as everyday life.

On June 7, Tran Viet Hoa, who works as the director for the Electricity Regulatory Authority under the industry ministry, stated that the amount of electricity available in the northern area, including any imports, was just around 17,500-17,900 MW equivalent. This figure represents only 59.2% of the total installed capacity available.

According to him, the current demand is 20,000 MW, but it may go up to 23,500-24,000 MW due to the high temperatures.

The electricity system in the northern region is at risk of shortages throughout the majority of the day.

In the northern region, there is an area that is experiencing a high concentration of activity, commonly referred to as a "hot spot." This particular region has been identified as a focal point for various events and occurrences, making it an exciting and vibrant place to be. Whether you're interested in cultural events, outdoor activities, or simply want to experience the local atmosphere, the northern hot spot is the place to be. So if you're looking for somewhere that's buzzing with energy and has plenty of things to do, head over to the north and discover the hot spot for yourself.

The recent shortages of electricity have been attributed by the ministry of Industry and Trade and EVN to the rise in electricity usage caused by the hot weather.

The typical requirement of electricity in the nation for May was roughly 820 million kilowatt-hours daily, which was over a fifth greater compared to April.

Almost 924 million kilowatt hours were generated on May 19, which was an increase of 10.5% compared to the previous year.

Since the beginning of June, various areas in Hanoi have been experiencing frequent power cuts. This has resulted in a surge in power usage during the previous month and the first half of this month.

The Hanoi Power Corporation reported that the average electricity usage for May increased by 22.5% compared to April, totaling more than 75.4 million kWh. According to their June 4 update, the average consumption has now reached almost 88.5 million kWh.

However, the amount of product available has been insufficient.

The main source of energy in the northern region comes from thermal and hydroelectric power plants.

However, the production of hydropower, which made up 43% of the energy supply in May, has decreased significantly due to severe weather conditions that have caused the large reservoirs to dry up.

Their usual output has decreased by 50% compared to last year, and currently accounts for only 12-15% of the overall supply.

In May's conclusion, they possessed adequate water supply to produce 1.23 billion kWh of electricity. This amount would only suffice for four days of energy consumption, based on the highest demand of 313.6 million kWh on May 22nd.

Starting from June 3rd, the Lai Chau, Hua Na, Thac Ba, Son La, Tuyen Quang plant reservoirs were left with mere water supplies that can only suffice for producing electricity for a mere stretch of 0.4 to 0.9 days.

In Lai Chau and Son La, which houses some of the largest plants in Vietnam, the water level in the dams has fallen below the critical point known as the dead storage level. This poses a significant threat to their operations.

A total of eleven plants have closed down unexpectedly, resulting in a loss of 5,000 megawatts from the power grid.

The north is experiencing a scarcity in electricity due to certain power plants that use coal as their energy source. These power plants contribute to almost half of the electricity supply in the area, but their capacity has been lowered or they have faced issues, leading to the power deficit.

From June 1 onwards, there were issues with the machinery at nine different factories which included Pha Lai 1 and 2, Cam Pha, Vung Ang 1, Nghi Son 2 BOT, Mao Khe, Quang Ninh, Thang Long, and Son Dong. These challenges were faced due to the prolonged hot weather that these machines had been operating in.

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Dang Hoang An has announced that Unit 1 of the Nghi Son 2 BOT project will be undergoing repairs until mid-July.

The entire size of the nine groups has decreased by around 4,200 MW.

It's not solely due to the high temperature

Analysts claim that the shortage in the north of new plants has been long-foreseen, yet no new plants have been established. They suggest that the weather and unforeseen events are not the only reasons for this problem.

This area of the country has experienced the most significant uptick in energy demand, growing by 9.3% annually between 2016 and 2020 and reaching nearly 6,000 MW.

However, the yearly increase in power production during this time has been a mere 4.7%, resulting in a total output of 4,600 MW.

There has been a significant increase in power generation capacity in the central and southern regions, surpassing the rise in demand multiple times.

The building of many new big power plants in the northern area such as Na Duong I, Hai Phong III and Cam Pha III has been slow because of problems connected to planning, choosing investors, acquiring funds, and removing sites. This may lead to a consistent lack of power until 2025.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade has admitted this in their report to the government about the National Power Development Plan VIII.

The inter-regional transmission network is under immense strain, resulting in higher losses and potential dangers. This was stated in the blog post.

EVN operates more than 38% of the power plants in the country. The remaining power supply comes from facilities owned by the Vietnam Oil and Gas Group, Vietnam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group, some BOT projects, and privately-owned renewable sources.

Bui Van Thinh, who serves as the chairman of the Binh Thuan Wind and Solar Energy Association, expressed concerns that the National Power Development Plan VII is not being followed rigorously. Several facilities owned by PVN and TKV have not been constructed for various reasons, which poses a risk of potential shortages.

Several botanical projects, including Na Duong II, Cam Pha III, and Hai Phong III, are experiencing delays. Additionally, the Block B O Mon gas-electricity initiative, Ca Voi Xanh, and Son My LNG project are also falling behind their targeted timelines.

At the beginning of this year, the Thai Binh II thermal power plant started functioning commercially following countless delays for over ten years.

During its initial stage of functioning, it is currently operating with a utilization of only 75% because of ongoing technical modifications.

The amount of electricity that can be transported is also a problem, adding more stress to the availability of power in the northern region.

The seventh National Power Development Plan has been updated and the government has recognized that there are a number of challenges when it comes to running power grids.

There are certain regions where the electrical grids operating at 220-kV and 110-kV capacities have become overcrowded, creating potential hazards.

The majority of transmission projects are experiencing delays of one to two years because of problems primarily connected to compensations and clearing the construction site.

Constructing a transmission system takes quite a few years, while putting up a renewable energy plant can be completed in only three to six months. Therefore, it is unavoidable that there will be a difference in the amount of energy produced.

The irrational way in which power plants are distributed can lead to an imbalance in the supply and demand of electricity in different regions. Wind and solar power projects are often concentrated in the central region, where the demand for electricity is low, as well as in the south. This can cause problems for the transmission network that connects different regions.

As per the ministry's statement, the majority of those who work with renewable energy and provincial officials tend to focus on their own individual power grids without taking a broader perspective of the power system in the entire region.

The report mentioned that renewable energy supply decreases at times due to congested areas in the local region.

At present, the 500 kilovolt transmission line running in the north-south direction is working at its highest capacity of 2,500 megawatts. There are instances when this capacity is surpassed to transfer power to the northern region.

Temporary and permanent solutions

Currently, Vietnam is utilizing all of its domestic energy sources such as renewable sources and is also importing around 10-12 million kWh per day from neighboring countries like China and Laos.

The ministry stated that the northern region's daily electricity requirement ranges from 445-450 million kWh, and the imports only make up a small portion of 2.7%.

The government department and EVN have requested that citizens and businesses make an effort to save electricity during the warm season, however, this is not a viable solution in the long term.

Experts say that there is an immediate need to accelerate the progress of power generation and grid projects.

After almost six years of drafting and revisions, the government has recently given the green light to the National Power Development Plan VIII. This plan will serve as the foundation for all upcoming projects.

According to energy specialist Dao Nhat Dinh, it is customary for power projects to take several years to plan and execute. In order to evade dependence on the weather, authorities must accelerate the process.

Do Thi Lan, a lawmaker, has reported that the electricity plan's action plan is still in the developmental phase. Moreover, the Ministry of Industry and Trade is urged to accelerate the process.

I recommend that the authorities conduct a meticulous review of their strategies to secure electricity supply for industrial and socioeconomic growth, and implement definite measures to address the scarcity of power.

It is necessary to react to climate change and other atypical and severe weather conditions as well.

The strategy aims to achieve 2,600 MW of rooftop solar energy that isn't connected to the main power grid. This solar energy will solely power households before the year 2030.

Solar energy can be produced in the northern region for around 1,000 hours annually, predominantly during the dry season.

According to Dinh, a professional in the field of energy, it is essential to have a well-defined system for solar power to prevent excessive development but still promote households to participate in it.

As they await remedies, numerous enterprises are compelled to adapt their strategies by moving their productivity from high-traffic periods to low-traffic periods, including nighttime hours.

Hoang Trung Dung, who is the director of the Additives and Petroleum Products Joint Stock Company located in Hanoi's Gia Lam District, stated that although they understand the importance of saving energy, ceasing electricity supply for industrial production is not a practical approach.

Blog post written by Hoai Thu with illustrations created by Phuong Dong.