EVN’s inefficiency led to power shortage: investigators

By Anh Minh July 12, 2023 | 03:00 am PT

Vietnam Electricity’s (EVN) inefficient management and lack of investment in power production had led to an electricity shortage in northern Vietnam this summer, investigators have found.

Between 2021 and 2023, EVN has been delayed in investing and completing projects to develop power sources and grid, investigators of the Ministry of Industry and Trade said Wednesday after conducting an examination on EVN’s operation by the order of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

The national utility was also slow in fixing technical issues of thermal power plants, which reduced supply, they said.

EVN’s power management was inefficient at times and did not strictly comply with operation plans, which led to a power shortage in the north from the end of May to mid-June, they added.

The unexpected load shedding caused disruption to people’s lives and businesses, they said.

EVN and its subsidiaries manage around 38% of Vietnam’s power supply.

In a report to the government last month, EVN said that new power sources only accounted for 30-50% of northern Vietnam’s annual increase in power consumption.

There will be difficulties in ensuring power supply to the north by 2025, especially during dry season when hydropower plants record low water level.

EVN said that it would conduct a domestic review on units and people responsible for recent issues.