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| Power shortages disrupt daily life |
| News Archive - Coal & Electric Power - June news | |
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(VietNamNet Bridge, Jun 30, 2006) Lower water levels in reservoirs at hydro-electric power plants have also contributed to the power shortages as plunging water levels may stop turbines from operating at full capacity, said an EVN official. Average daily electricity output across the nation has reached 178mil kWh, resulting in a shortage of about 4mil kWh per day. As a result, EVN says it has had to cut off power supply in many localities. It reports that water-flow into reservoirs is approximately 60% of volume from the same period last year. During the next five days, if the water levels in reservoirs do not increase, serious power shortages will be unavoidable, said an EVN official. The current water level in Hoa Binh reservoir stands at 84m or five metres higher than the dead water level and it is decreasing rapidly. EVN said that workers have finished repairs at Phu My 3 power plant, which has electricity generating capacity of 720MW, after a breakdown a few day ago caused continuous sudden power cuts in HCM City. Regarding another breakdown at Phu My 2-2, EVN said it expects to finish the repairs by the end of this month. To deal with increased power shortages, the electricity industry has recently been given permission by the prime minister to speed up construction of new power plants. The Ca Mau gas turbine project No. 1, with a capacity of 500MW, will be put into operation in March next year. In addition, Vietnam will buy electricity from China to supply the country's northern power system with 250MW beginning in October 2006. However, when severe water shortages occur in the future, reservoirs will not be able to ensure the operation of turbines, and as a result the northern regions will face a power deficit of between 200-660mil kWh by 2007. Northern regions receive most of their power supply from the Hoa Binh and Thac Ba hydro-power plants, along with the Uong Bi, Ninh Binh, Pha Lai and Na Duong coal-fuelled power plants, which supply a total of 3,566 MW. |
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