Power supply to face challenges in upcoming dry season

Vietnam Electricity (EVN), the largest power company in Vietnam, says power supply will face challenges in the coming dry season.
EVN said that 17.626 billion kilowatt-hour (kWh) was produced in January.
The backbone of Vietnam’s electricity remains hydropower which produced 3.066 billion kWh, down by 38.31 percent while coal-fired plants produced 10.196 billion kWh, up by 10.99 percent, gas turbines produced 2.916 billion kWh, oil-run thermoelectric turbines 180 million kWh and renewable energy including wind, solar, biomass 887 million kWh.
Electricity imports reached 315 million kWh, down by 21.57 percent compared to the same period last year.
According to EVN’s statistics, this year, consumption for the system is forecast to reach 261.5 billion kWh, increasing by 9.1 percent compared to last year. EVN’s calculation has shown that electricity supply especially in dry season will face challenges because water level in hydropower plants decreased by 4.55 billion cubic meter by December 31, 2019.
Worse, investment in new electricity plants slowed than schedule while major electricity grid projects are facing difficulties in site clearance making great impact on electricity supply.
EVN forecast that electricity produced by hydropower plants will be lower than 2.67 billion kWh while electricity produced by gas turbines will be lower than 408 million kWh.
Accordingly, to ensure the electricity supply for socio-economic growth, EVN will get 3.153 billion kWh from oil-run thermoelectric turbines which is higher than sold electricity price.
Determined to ensure the electricity supply, EVN directed its sub-divisions and related agencies to buy coal for electricity production of the whole year.

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