Mr. Nguyen Quoc Dung – Director of Business Department of EVN
Reporter: How did EVN forecast electricity consumption demand in the hot season this year, Sir?
Mr. Nguyen Quoc Dung: According to a majority of weather forecast agencies in the world, this year is the third consecutive year experiencing El Nino phenomenon, just after a relatively short period.
Due to this phenomenon, the average temperature between May and July 2017 will be higher than the average temperature in many years, especially in the North. Therefore, the power consumption demand will increase critically during this period. It is forecasted that the power demand will grow by approximately 11.41% in comparison with the same period last year.
Reporter: With such forecasts, what plans has EVN made to secure sufficient electricity supply to production activities and residential uses of the people?
Mr. Nguyen Quoc Dung: EVN has been taking a lot of synchronous measures to secure sufficient electricity supply to the socio – economic development of the country and residential uses of the people. Accordingly hydropower plants have been properly exploited in order to best respond to the power system’s requirements, as well as to supply water to downstream areas in the coming peak hot months.
Maintenance works of generation plants and power grids had been completed in the first quarter, so that from the second quarter the power system has maintained its highest availability. EVN’s power plants are requested to prepare adequate fuels to be ready for being mobilized at any time that the power system requires.
We also developed a power system operation mode for the most extreme emergency circumstance with a view to taking the initiative in the responding actions.
At the same time, EVN in close coordination with the Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group and Vietnam National Coal - Mineral Industries Holding Corporation Ltd. have worked out solutions to secure sufficient gas, coal as well as to stable operation of power plants under these Groups.
PV: Over some recent years, the power sector has always affirmed that reserve margin of the power system is as high as 30% of the system capacity, however in reality power outages still occur in some places during the peak time in hot season. Why, Sir?
Mr. Nguyen Quoc Dung: At present, the total installed capacity of the national power system is around 43,150 MW. In general, the power system is adequately capable of meeting the power demand for residential uses of the people and national socio – economic development.
Nevertheless, power sources are allocated unbalanced among regions. During the peak time in hot season when extreme weather phenomena, long scorching hot weather normally happen, causing a unpredictable rise in load demand, the system is fully loaded or over loaded in the some areas.
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EVN will highly mobilize thermal power plants to secure sufficient electricity for the system – Photo: Huyen Thuong
Reporter: Ho Chi Minh city and the South are now in the peak time of dry season so the weather is very hot and muggy. Will power shortage occur in Ho Chi Minh city that requires rotating outage? Besides, air conditioners and cooling fans are sold well in electronic shops, which is likely to cause over-loaded situations and then blackouts. How can this situation be handled?
Mr. Nguyen Quoc Dung: The first and foremost goal of EVN’s production – business activities is to “secure sufficient electricity supply to the national socio – economic development and residential uses of the people”. With the willpower of EVN and other stakeholders in the power sector, it can be assured that rotating outage will not happen.
During operation of the power system, power interruption may occur to handle failures, to repair or upgrade the grid. However EVN will request their subsidiaries to promptly complete periodical maintenance and upgrading works of power grid before the second quarter every year and absolutely not cut off power to perform these planned works during peak months in hot and sunny season when the temperature is over 36oC.
Relating to cooling equipment at home, EVN proposes that customers should switch on their optimal operation modes, for instance air conditioners should be set at 25-26oC, in order to both save energy for customers and prevent local overloaded situations for the power system.
EVN recommends that customers should use electricity in an economical manner, particularly for cooling equipment, to curb the increase of power consumption and prevent occurrence of abrupt increases in electricity bills.
Reporter: Thank you!