PM ordered EVN to guarantee electricity supplies, develop renewables in 2024

Ô Môn Thermal Power Plant Project in Cần Thơ City. — VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Liêm

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính has asked the State utility corporation Việt Nam Electricity (EVN) to “firmly ensure” no electricity shortage for production, business and consumption in any circumstance.

The Government leader made the order during a working session with the group on Saturday, with the attendance of Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyễn Hồng Diên and Chairman of the Commission for the Management of State Capital at Enterprises Nguyễn Hoàng Anh.

He also told EVN to properly manage and operate the electricity industry, especially with regards to pricing in line with market rules but with social welfare policies in mind, as well as to conduct restructuring of the group also according to market rules, focusing on developing emerging fields, intensifying anti-corruption efforts, combating negativity and waste, and encouraging and protecting officials who dare to think and act.

PM Chính required strict and effective implementation of resolutions, conclusions and directives of the Party Central Committee, the National Assembly, the Government, and the Prime Minister on socio-economic development in 2024 and specific tasks assigned to the Group, as well as directives from relevant ministries, sectors, and the State Capital Management Commission at Enterprises.

PM Chính urged efforts to fulfil the targets and tasks outlined for 2024, ensuring electricity supply for the country’s socio-economic development and people’s lives.

He asked for proactive and effective forecasting of electricity demand, efficient exploitation of electricity sources to ensure supply in compliance with regulations, including mobilisation of renewable energy projects and calculating electricity imports to meet domestic demand; and strictly implementing regulations on power system operation, electricity market, safe operation, and reliability of the transmission system, especially the 500kV North-South system.

EVN must learn from the shortage incidents in 2023 and make efforts to avoid major power incidents occurring during heat waves.

Based on the approved national energy strategies and Power Development Plan VIII, EVN must focus on completing and implementing medium and long-term energy development strategies, while building scenarios and solutions to handle sudden, unexpected issues, and prevent solar and wind energy going to waste due to lack of grid capacity, PM Chính noted.

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính with the leadership of the Việt Nam Electricity Group on Saturday. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

The Vietnamese Government leader emphasises that the electricity sector consists of five stages: power generation, electricity transmission, electricity distribution, electricity consumption and electricity pricing, in addition to six input factors, namely: coal, oil, gas, water, sunlight and wind.

Therefore, research, operation and coordination between these stages must be reasonable and scientific, with both short-term and long-term considerations, in line with trends, rules, conditions, and the national circumstances and traditions of the electricity industry, as well as the consumption capacity of the people.

He also said the corporation must more deeply engage in the development of renewable energy and renewable energy industries.

According to reports, despite major challenges, 280 billion kWh was produced in 2023, up 4.5 per cent compared to 2022. To date, the total installed capacity of the entire power system is over 80,000MW, ranking first in the ASEAN region, among them, EVN and its member units account for nearly 30,000MW, or over 37 per cent.

The corporation is urgently carrying out three key power projects with a total capacity of over 2,200MW.

EVN has also been making efforts in administrative reforms, simplifying procedures to shorten the time for providing electricity to new customers (down to 2.73 days on average for medium-voltage grid electricity supply and 2.33 days for low-voltage grid electricity supply for residential customers).

The group is also leading in terms of ICT application, with all electricity services available online at the highest level, and 96.3 per cent customers using cashless methods.

EVN strives to ensure electricity supply with a commercial electricity output of 262.26 billion kWh in 2024, is prepared for a high scenario of 269.3 billion kWh and will continue to enhance the reliability of electricity supply.

The group has also exceeded the set targets in rural electrification, with the number of communes connected to the power grid nationwide reaching 100 per cent, and the percentage of households using electricity surpassing 99.7 per cent, including 99.6 per cent of rural households having access to electricity. — VNS