Speaking at a ceremony reviewing tasks in the first six months of the year on July 7, Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) CEO Tran Dinh Nhan warned that after 10 years of ensuring power supply since 2010, EVN is now facing difficulties in supplying power in the dry season in 2023.

During 20 days in June, EVN had to reduce the volume of electricity mobilized in northern cities and provinces. The power supply has only improved since June 23 following instructions by the PM and the cooperation of the leaders of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and the cooperation of coal miners and PetroVietnam on ensuring supply of sufficient fuel for power generation.

Nevertheless, Nhan warned that in the near future the power supply will still face difficulties, especially in 2024-2025, in northern cities/provinces. EVN has proposed solutions that need to be implemented immediately.

In addition to solutions on electricity system operation (ensuring enough fuel for power generation and ensuring usability of power generation units), it is necessary to speed up approved projects by setting up reasonable mechanisms to quickly develop LNG projects, and supplement electricity sources to the north (concentrated solar power, rooftop solar power, onshore wind power and offshore wind power).

Meanwhile, EVN will have to develop the 500kv transmission line Circuit 3 from the central and southern regions to the north (if the projects are now assigned to other units). It vowed to complete the project execution by May 2025.

If so, in the dry season in 2025, the north would be able to use 3,000MW transmitted from the central and southern regions.

The 500kv transmission line Circuit 3 would have a total length of 514 kilometers, linking Quang Trach in Quang Binh to Pho Noi in Hung Yen. The total estimated investment capital is VND23 trillion, comprising four sub-projects.

The transmission line project is part of the eighth national power development plan (Plan 8) under which Vietnam would improve the transmission capability to the north.

Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Duong on July 8 presided over an online meeting with the Commission for State Capital Management at Enterprises, EVN, Viettel and nine localities to discuss solutions to deploy the 500kv Circuit 3.

Dien requested agencies to complete procedures by September 2023 and get approval for investment in the project.

Luong Bang