In 2017, EVN focuses on the theme "Promotion of science and technology" with the aim of robustly applying and developing science and technology in management, governance, power system operation, business, customer service and environmental protection.
In addition, EVN has drastically realized new energy projects in the South in order to ensure the balance of supply and demand among regions, improving the reliability of system operation, enhancing the production and business efficiency coupled with environmental protection and climate change combating.
Use technology to improve customer service
Installing electronic meters for customers
Since early 2017, many power corporations nationwide have pushed the application of science and technology in business, diversifying customer service. For example, all business activities of Ho Chi Minh City Power Corporation (EVNHCMC) are customer oriented with the motto "two easy": easy to remember and easy to implement.
Up to now, except for bill payment service at level 4, all the services of EVNHCMC such as customer care through hotline, website - email, SMS and mobile applications (for both iOS, Android and Windows Phone) achieve the online service level 3.
Applying electronic invoices, diversifying forms of electricity bill payment are also significant technological innovations of EVN. Accordingly, EVN encourages customers to pay via electronic channels such as automatic debit via account, SMS / Mobile Banking, Internet Banking, electronic wallet.
By the end of 2016, the number of customers paying via banks and intermediary payment institutions in big cities made up a relatively high proportion (45.57% in Hanoi and 59.08% in Ho Chi Minh City). In Ho Chi Minh City where EVNHCMC cooperated with 22 banks and 8 collectors, the proportion of bill payments through banks and other payment locations is 80.25% - equivalent to 86.80% of the total revenue.
In Hanoi, Hanoi Power Corporation (EVNHANOI) has put great efforts so that by the end of 2017 no staff of the Corporation will have to come to customers’ residences or premises for collecting bill payments, 100% of electricity bills will be paid through banks, payment locations and payment service companies.
Application of science and technology in management and operation
EVN has been selling electricity directly to over 25.4 million customers, however only 8.2 million customers (32.2%) have installed electronic meters. The rest is still using mechanical meters, causing many difficulties in metering monthly electricity consumption amount.
Research and application of technology in management, technical operation of the power system to meet requirements for business and customer service are attached much importance by Power Corporations, including investment in automatic meter reading equipment, replacing mechanical meters with electronic meters for reading and recording indicators.
It is an EVN’s policy that by the end of 2017, 100% of AMR smart meters will be installed for all boundary locations or connection points between subsidiaries under Power Corporations, general substations, special purpose substations. More than 11.56 million AMR smart meters will be installed for customers after general substations. By the year 2020, the power sector will replace 100% of mechanical meters with electronic meters.
Specifically in Hanoi, electronic meters accounts for 43.93% of total operating electricity meters. In Ho Chi Minh City, the power sector has installed AMR smart meters for about 10,200 big customers, about 1,100 connection points and internal boundaries.
As for mechanical meters, some companies have adopted initiatives such as meter reading via optical sticks, camera shooting. 100% of meter recording staff is equipped with tablets having meter reading software, which helps EVN transparentize monthly electricity consumption amount to customers and make information available at customers’ requests.
Mr. Dang Hoang An, EVN’s President and CEO said: "Regarding implementation solutions, we encourage organizations and individuals to introduce initiatives, research or develop appropriate technology of good quality, with reasonable price and applicable massively in order to improve production efficiency and labor productivity.”
Many technological applications have also been introduced and completed throughout the industry, such as the CMIS 2.0 customer management system; load demand study, management software; implementing a plan to automatically collect metering data with electronic meters, along with a meter data management system (MDMS) for administration.
In particular, in implementation of the Smart Gird project in Vietnam approved by the Government, EVNHCMC completed the SCADA system in March 2017, helping to remotely control switchgears at 110 kV substations and switching equipment on medium voltage grids. Smart Grid is a grid system that utilizes IT and communications to optimize transmission and distribution of electricity between producers and consumers, and integrate the power infrastructure with the communication infrastructure.