City urges firms to help reduce power cuts

Authorities in HCM City have told city businesses and residents to minimise their power usage in an effort to meet the goals of the Government’s plan to reduce the number of power shortages.

This move follows the Prime Minister’s decree late last month on implementation of the power-saving plan.

The chairmen of people’s committees in districts have also been told to encourage residents in their areas to reduce power usage.

In addition, the districts will have to closely oversee public-light usage between 6:30pm and 5:30am.

State-run companies and businesses will be expected to use energy-efficient equipment, maximise their use of natural light, and turn off air conditioners when they are not needed.

The city has asked district officials to regularly evaluate individuals’ and organisations’ efforts to cut power usage.

Households have been asked to limit use of power-hungry equipment during peak hours between 5pm and 9pm, and are encouraged to use energy-efficient lights.

Under the plan, half of all public lights and advertising billboards will also be turned off during the evening’s peak hours of electricity use.

Large commercial billboards will be turned off if an emergency power-savings plan becomes necessary.

Last summer, HCM City was forced to implement an emergency power-savings plan to save at least 10 per cent of power consumption.

Excessive power consumption in HCM City caused an overload during peak hours last summer.

Companies and businesses have been asked to work with the city’s power companies to take measures to use power efficiently.

Electricity of Viet Nam (EVN) in HCM City on Friday said poor households would receive financial assistance to pay their electric bills.

The monthly subsidy of VND30,000 (US$2), sourced from the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, will be given to each poor household which consumes less than 50kWh a month for at least three consecutive months.

If low-income households registered for the subsidy consume more than 150kWh for three months, they will be charged the retail price for other households.

The EVN has warned that increasing demand from the industrial production and construction sectors will lead to power-supply shortages and power cuts during the dry season. — VNS

Tags: Vietnam electricity, Vietnam energy, Vietnam power shortage