In a dispatch sent to the Minister of Industry and Trade, the Chairperson of the Committee for Management of State Capital at Enterprises (CMSC), the Chairpersons of the People’s Committees of centrally-run cities and provinces, and leaders of Vietnam Electricity (EVN), Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (Petrovietnam) and Vietnam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group (Vinacomin), the PM pointed to problems in power supply in the northern region.

He noted that the severe heat and impacts from El Nino phenomena have led to a surge in power demand, coupled with drought in many northern localities causing extremely low water level in hydropower reservoirs, thus greatly affecting the supply of electricity in the dry season of 2023.

Despite efforts of relevant parties, there are still factors negatively affecting the supply of electricity in the time to come, especially in the northern region.

Amid this situation, the Government leader asked the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) to review and evaluate the current power supply and emerging factors that can affect power supply to strengthen the efficiency and enforcement of State management in the work, while promptly guiding the EVN to design scenarios to effectively deal with difficulties in the field. This work must be completed by June 10, requested the PM.

The MoIT was asked to promptly finalise a PM’s directive on strengthening power saving in the 2023-2025 period and following years and submit to the PM by June 8. The ministry was also ordered to complete a PM’s decree on ensuring power supply and the supply of coal and gas for electricity production and submit to him by June 15.

Alongside, the PM also asked the MoIT to instruct the negotiations of purchasing prices of solar and wind power and complete the work within June. The ministry should review legal regulations to issue guidance on investment in power transmission grid in accordance with approved electricity development planning, with attention paid to investment in the form of public-private partnership, and summit to the PM a plan to realise the National Power Development Plan for the 2021 - 2030 period (PDP VIII). The PM also requested the ministry to promptly take the management of the National Load Dispatch Centre within June.

The Government leader asked the CMSC, the EVN, PetroVietnam and Vinacomin, within their remit, to coordinate with each other in implementing measures to ensure power supply in the dry season of 2023 and following years, and report to the PM issues beyond their authority.

Particularly, the EVN was asked to focus on building scenarios to respond to difficulties in power supply and effectively rolling out power saving measures, especially in June. Meanwhile, the Vinacomin and Petrovietnam was requested to ensure the supply of coal and gas for power plants at the request of EVN.

The PM also assigned the MoIT to form an inspection team to examine the power supply management at the EVN from January 2021 to June 1, 2023./.