(Vietnamnews, Sept 20, 2006) HCM CITY ¡ª Viet Nam may buy power from China next month as power shortages are expected, Electricity of Viet Nam (EVN) has said.

The shortage is primarily due to repairs to a gas pipeline linked to thermo-power plants at the Phu My Power Complex.

EVN said power generation would fall from 500 MW to 800 MW between 6am and 10pm every day. At peak hours, production could decrease from 1,200MW to 1,500 MW.

EVN experts also forecast power shortages of up to one billion kWh or 1,000 MW at peak hours next year.

EVN said the northern provinces of Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang and Lai Chau, and part of the Quang Ninh Province, have been using purchased electric power from China, estimated at 60 million kWh per month.

To provide access to Chinese power, EVN began to build in early 2005 two 220KV transmission lines, the Ha Khau-Lao Cai-Yen Bai-Viet Tri line and the Van Son-Ha Giang-Tuyen Quang-Thai Nguyen-Soc Son (Ha Noi) line. The latter line will be completed in early April.

With a total transmission capacity of more than 500MW, the lines will meet the rising demand for power next year.

EVN Deputy General Director Dau Van Khoi said construction of the Ha Khau-Lao Cai-Yen Bai-Viet Tri line could be completed and available for transmission on September 28, six months earlier than scheduled.

He said these two transmission lines would help curb power shortages faced by industries in Thai Nguyen, Viet Tri, Vinh Yen and Soc Son and in the northern provinces.

In addition to existing 110KV transmission lines, the two new lines will enable the company to buy a total 730MW of power from China, 20 times more than the first purchase through the Dong Hung-Mong Cai transmission line in 2004.

Khoi said the purchase of power between the two countries will double again when the 500KV grids from both countries are connected. ¡ª VNS
Source:Vietnamnews
tag:China energy power