Power shortages in southern Vietnam may become commonplace in the future as the nation's electricity supply is falling short of the region's growing demand for power.
According to Duong Quang Thanh, chairman of Electricity of Vietnam (EVN), the region’s thirst for electricity will outstrip the country’s total production by 10-15% next year, reports VnExpress.
Home to Saigon, the country’s biggest commercial hub, and provinces such as Dong Nai and Binh Duong, where numerous industrial parks and manufacturing facilities operate, southern Vietnam’s rapid growth is putting a strain on the national grid.
To remedy this impending shortage, EVN is looking into using more diesel power plants to pump out an additional 5 billion kWh annually from next year. However, this will only be a temporary solution as Thanh also shared with the news source that from 2018 onwards, the situation is expected to become even more dire.
Central authorities are reportedly collaborating with EVN to quickly establish a 500kV transmission line linking Vung Ang in north-central Ha Tinh Province to Pleiku in the Central Highlands in order to bring power from northern regions to power-strapped southern provinces, according to Zing.
[Photo via Flickr user lets.book]
