Shouldering community responsibility

Electricity blackouts are an issue of great concern to businesses and individuals as the electricity sector has constantly cut the power supply on a rotating basis for weeks. While power generation is in a terrible mess, power conservation is considered the best immediate solution.

When summer comes, the electricity sector usually has to cope with power shortages. This year, the situation is worse than usual as the country has experienced a prolonged drought, and early floods expected to flow in Hoa Binh Reservoir – the largest in Vietnam – will arrive later than usual.

Many businesses and policymakers fear that rotating power cuts will have a negative impact on the country’s economic growth and that some national targets set for this year are unlikely to be reached.

There is no denying that electricity plays a key role in people’s everyday life, and power cuts during the prolonged hot weather are making their lives chaotic. Kindergartens temporarily close down, forcing parents to stay out of work to take care of their children at home. Many elderly people look for shaded areas such as green parks or their friends’ houses where power is still on to avoid the extreme heat.

Employees opt to come to the office and enjoy good air conditioning during the daytime, even on weekends, rather than staying at home and doing nothing during a blackout. Many factories and service centres halt operations due to power outages.

In some rural areas, power is cut from 06.00 to 24.00 every day, seriously affecting post-harvest preservation of farm products during harvest season.

By and large, economic losses caused by power outages far exceed the value of the power saved. Some people suggest that the electricity sector develop a system of diesel-fuelled generators to cover the gaps. People and businesses would rather purchase electricity at a higher price than suffer prolonged power cuts.

The electricity sector needs a long-term vision for its future development, and it should have a roadmap for resolving power shortages. Power conservation is an immediate solution to help ease power shortages.

State offices should be pioneers in practising thrift by moderating their use of high-consumption equipment such as air conditioners and electric kettles. Ironically, some offices use air conditioning so excessively that warm clothes are sometimes worn inside while outside temperatures exceed 40oC.

It is also important to have regulations minimising the use of electricity for electronic advertising boards, electronic office signs, restaurants and public lighting systems.

Power conservation campaigns have been launched across the country and have brought practical results. However, while many residential areas, production workshops and rural areas are experiencing power cuts on a regular basis, many urban areas and entertainment centres are lit up overnight.

Ten rural families will have a bulb lit and a fan operating for every air conditioner that is turned off in an urban area. In other words, saving electricity should receive a greater response from people across all social strata.-VOV

Tags: Vietnam electricity, Vietnam energy, Vietnam power shortage