25-5-2023 (Hanoi) As power shortages loom due to anticipated heatwaves, several Vietnamese cities are cutting back on public lighting to save energy for households and manufacturing, according to a statement by the Ministry of Industry and Trade on Thursday.
The state utility, EVN, had earlier warned of a stretched national power system, with electricity consumption expected to rise sharply as temperatures soar and water levels at some hydropower dams remain lower than normal. To address this, many provinces and cities have taken measures to save energy and ensure stable and safe electricity supplies, the ministry said.
In the capital Hanoi, public lighting is being turned on 30 minutes later and turned off 30 minutes earlier than usual. Half of the street lights along some major thoroughfares and in public parks have also been completely cut. The ministry stated that this move is to save energy for household consumption and for maintaining industrial output, which is essential for the country’s economy, which has recently shown signs of slowing.
The ministry has called on people to turn off electric devices when not in use and to set air-conditioners’ temperatures above 26 degrees Celsius. Office buildings and shopping malls are also encouraged to use only half of their exterior lighting systems.
To address the power shortages in the longer term, the government approved a plan last week to more than double Vietnam’s power generation capacity to over 150 gigawatts by 2030 from 69 GW at the end of 2020 to ensure sufficient energy for a projected economic growth of 7% per year during the period.
In addition, Vietnam is seeking to import more electricity from neighboring countries, including Laos and China, and aims to raise its electricity imports to 5 gigawatts by 2030, accounting for 3.3% of its power mix, according to the plan. The ministry is also working with renewable energy developers on pricing mechanisms to quickly connect their new plants to the national grid.
