Power utility guarantees supply

The State-owned Electricity of Viet Nam has promised adequate supply for HCM City’s industries this year and through 2011.

At a meeting yesterday with the People’s Committee to discuss the power supply and demand situation in the next few years, its executives warned, however, there will be a likely shortfall in subsequent years since demand is rising.

Nguyen Tan Loc, head of the corporation’s planning department, said though there was a shortage at the national level this year due to natural disasters and drought, EVN can supply the city’s needs.

According to the HCM City Power Company, the city’s demand of 12.04 billion KWh in the first 10 months was met by EVN, an increase of 10 per cent compared with the same period last year.

By adopting energy-savings methods, the city has saved 187 million KWh so far this year and hopes to save 198 million KWh in the whole year.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade plans to set the city’s electricity demand growth at 12.9 per cent next year.

The corporation officials were not confident of meeting the city’s demand in the upcoming years, especially from 2012 onwards.

Its Nhon Trach 1 and 2 and Phu My power plants are already running at full capacity and cannot increase supply, Pham Quoc Bao, deputy general director of HCM City Power Company, said.

As early as next year, supply to the city’s western parts could be affected because transformer stations and the overall electricity network are fully stretched while completion of the Cau Bong Transformation Station has been delayed.

The HCM City Power Company has recently completed nine projects, including transformer stations and power grids, and is working on 12 others.

Fourteen new power grids will go on stream next year while work will start on 20 others. However, land clearance is a major problem they face.

People do not want to sell their land and relocate since they cannot agree on the compensation amount.

To improve the power situation, Loc said, the city government should continue to propagate energy saving and make sure power projects are finished on schedule.— VNS

Tags: Vietnam electricity, Vietnam energy, Vietnam power shortage