Ensuring highest availability of power units
According to Vietnam Electricity (EVN), the total electricity output produced and imported by the whole system in 2023 is estimated to reach 280.6 billion kWh, an increase of 4.6% compared to 2022. With the drastic and close direction of the Prime Minister, ministries and governmental bodies, EVN and its member units’ efforts, the electricity supply situation in the last months of 2023 is going to be secured to serve socio-economic development needs and people's life.
Regarding electricity supply in 2024, from the third quarter of 2023 until now, EVN and its member units have proactively planned and drastically implemented solutions to ensure electricity supply in the coming year. Currently, the installed capacity of EVN and its member units account for about 37% of the entire system. To ensure their power plants operate safely and stably, with possibly the least incidents, especially coal-fired power units in the North during the peak of the dry season in 2024, EVN and its member units have conducted a comprehensive check and review of power units; carrying out their planned periodic maintenance activities; promptly repairing and replacing equipment, etc. to ensure the availability and readiness of the power plants.
Power units are of highest availability.
At the same time, power plants have implemented their overhaul programs, regular maintenance activities for their generating units on schedule and with satisfactory quality; making plans to promptly remedy failures of generating units under their management, ensuring that their generating units can operate at maximum capacity; at the same time, implementing solutions to cope with the capacity declination due to environmental temperature factors, cooling water, low tide, etc. By the end of 2023, the Group and its member units will basically complete the maintenance of the generating units, ready for generation in the 2024 dry season; including completing overhauls for and putting into operation 17 generating units with a total capacity of more than 5,200MW.
EVN and its member units also strengthen monitoring of the power system operation to work out solutions for safe, reliable, and stable system operation. A plan is being developed to optimally dispatch power sources and maximize transmission from the Central region to the North to ensure hydropower reservoirs are impounded to the highest water level by the end of 2023, ready for generation in the dry season in 2024.
Shortly EVN is going to report to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development a plan to economically and effectively use water discharged from hydropower reservoirs to serve the Winter-Spring crop in 2023-2024 and electricity generation in the dry season, to save and reserve the water storage at 3.5 billion m3 (equivalent to 2023).
Along with that, EVN has taken the initiative to work closely with partners and other power plant investors to call for their collaboration in ensuring energy security. Specifically, EVN has closely coordinated with power plant projects outside EVN to develop reasonable maintenance plans for their power units or to restore the operation of power units under prolonged failures, etc. In October, EVN signed an agreement with Vinacomin and Dong Bac Corporation to secure sufficient coal supply to EVN's and EVNGENCOs’ power plants in accordance with their dispatching requirements. Currently, the Group has been working with PetroVietnam and PVGas on a plan to ensure gas supply for gas-fired power plants in the Southeast region in 2024. The close coordination between EVN and groups in the energy sector to ensure fuel supply for power generation has been carried out in the spirit of sharing, towards common goals, and for the sake of the national interest in accordance with the Prime Minister's direction.
Regarding the power grid, EVN has directed the National Power Transmission Corporation (EVNNPT) to operate the power transmission grid safely and reliably, reducing transmission grid incidents; and making plans to fix power grid failures quickly. EVN has requested EVNNPT to focus maximum resources to urgently and drastically deploy and accelerate the progress of the Circuit 3 500kV transmission line project from Quang Trach to Pho Noi including 4 component projects. Currently, the Prime Minister has approved the investment policy of the 500kV transmission line Nam Dinh I TPP - Thanh Hoa project. EVN/EVNNPT is urgently coordinating closely with ministries and agencies to complete legal procedures and implement the next steps to start construction on the remaining 3 component projects under the direction of the Prime Minister.
EVN takes proactive actions to prepare for implementing solutions for power supply in 2024 - Photo: Bao Ngoc
At the same time, EVN and its member units have been accelerating the progress of urgent power generation and grid projects to ensure electricity supply for 2024 and the coming period, especially power grid projects serving grid interconnection to import electricity from Laos, etc.
Promoting economical and efficient use of electricity
Determining that electricity saving is one of the important solutions, contributing to ensuring a safe and stable electricity supply, especially during the peak of the hot season, in recent years, EVN has always been a pioneer in communication activities to promote economical and efficient electricity use.
Along with the efforts of the power sector, EVN calls on customers to use electricity economically and efficiently, both saving their monthly electricity costs and contributing to ensuring electricity supply security, especially during peak times. The Group recommends that the competent authorities should shortly issue a mechanism to incentivize the development of rooftop solar systems installed on houses and office buildings for on-site self-consumption.
With many synchronous measures, and the constant attentiveness and direction of the Government and ministries, EVN and its member units will try their best to meet the electricity supply requirements of 2024, serving the country's socio-economic development and people's daily life.