If there is not enough water for hydropower, high sources of oil-fired thermal power will be mobilized
Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan - Director of Electricity Regulatory Authority (Ministry of Industry and Trade) said that in 2019, there was almost no flood on river systems in the North and North of the Central region, the water inflow to many hydropower reservoirs was lower than the average of many years, leading to many hydropower reservoirs having very low water levels compared to normal water level.
Tuyen Quang Hydropower Plant
By 2020, the coal, hydropower and gas thermal power sources will still play a leading role, ensuring power supply for the national electricity system. However, to ensure adequate power supply, it is expected to mobilize about 3.4 billion kWh from oil-fired power sources. Particularly in the dry season of 2020 (mainly in March, April, May and June), about 3,153 billion kWh will be mobilized from oil-fired power due to unfavourable hydrological situation and large hydropower plants (Hoa Binh, Tuyen Quang, Thac Ba) have to serve irrigation for soil preparation in January - February 2020, so it will not be able to mobilize in the peak months of the dry season.
The amount of power mobilized from the oil-fired power source will increase, if there are extreme situations such as the amount of water flowing into the hydropower reservoirs to be lower than the frequency of 65%, the load increasing dramatically or incidents prolonging at coal thermal power plants and gas turbines.
EVN plays the leading role, but...
According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT), to ensure the power supply in 2020, it is impossible to put all responsibilities on Vietnam Electricity only. Therefore, MOIT has assigned specific tasks and responsibilities to other corporations and groups. In particular, the Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group shall accelerate the putting into exploitation of new gas fields and at the same time ensure adequate supply of gas for power production. Vietnam National Coal-Mineral Industries Group, North Eastern Corporation need to strengthen coal production capacity, balance the existing coal sources, prioritize coal supply for power production.
In 2020, MOIT and EVN will promote the propagation of power savings to households and businesses
According to Deputy Minister of MOIT Hoang Quoc Vuong, the units managing the transmission and distribution grid shall regularly inspect and review the status of equipment on the transmission and distribution grid and promptly fix failures of operating equipment, ensuring safe operation of the national power system. MOIT requires EVN and related units to speed up the investment, construction and putting into operation of key transmission grid works, especially power transmission works for the South, remove the capacity of renewable energy sources (wind and solar) and small hydropower sources in the Northwest such as the Vung Ang - Doc Soi - Pleiku 2 500kV line, Bao Thang 220kV substation, etc., contributing to ensure power supply for the national power system.
Deputy Minister Hoang Quoc Vuong said: For the management of power demand and economical and efficient use of electricity, MOIT has directed EVN, Power Corporations and Power Companies to step up the implementation of programs of managing power demand, adjusting load, using power economically and efficiently to reduce load demand in peak hours, contributing to ensuring stable and reliable power supply for the national power system and regional power system.