Viet Nam would face a power shortage of 3 billion kWh this year because of a
lack of water in reservoirs, according to Electricity of Viet Nam (EVN).

EVN deputy director Duong Quang Thanh made the statement
yesterday at a Ha Noi conference to launch the group’s targets for this year.

Thanh said water levels at reservoirs were much lower than
normal for this time of year, and this was especially true for larger
reservoirs.

He said guaranteeing power supply during this year’s dry
season would be extremely difficult if there were supply problems from
thermo-electricity, turbines and newly-built coal thermo-electric plants.

The group said additional charge this year was expected to
reach 117.6 billion kWh, an increase of 17.63 per cent over last year.

Electricity demand in the dry season would be 18.3 per cent
higher than the same period last year, remaining at 56.14 billion kWh.

In an effort to ensure power supply, EVN had worked hard to
produce and purchase 112.6 billion kWh, nearly 16 per cent more than last year.

Thanh said EVN was ready to respond to power shortages in
the dry season and would closely follow weather changes throughout the year to
ensure effective operation of its electricity system.

The group had also worked together with the Ministry of
Agriculture and Rural Development’s Water Source Department and localities to
ensure water for this month’s winter-spring crop this month and for the daily
use of people in the delta provinces, Binh Thuan, Ninh Thuan, Binh Duong, Dong
Nai and HCM City.

EVN had also mobilised thermo-electricity, turbines and
control water at a number of reservoirs to ensure adequate supplies of water
for electricity plants and industry and domestic use.

The group asked the National Electricity Transmission
Corporation to operate and transmit power on the 500kV North-South line and
resolve any problems quickly.

EVN asked the Northern Electricity Company to continue to
import electricity under guidelines set by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and
the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

Source: VNS