Gov’t chief inspects coal-fired power station in Quang Ninh

The Government chief was accompanied by Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Dang Quoc Khanh, Chairman of the Commission for the Management of State Capital at Enterprises (CMSC) Nguyen Hoang Anh and Secretary of the Quang Ninh provincial Party Committee Quang Ninh Nguyen Xuan Ky. 

Pham assigned the Viet Nam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group (Vinacomin) to ensure coal mining and supply for thermal power plants as required while the Commission for the Management of State Capital at Enterprises must efficiently manage the use of capital in corporations and State-owned enterprises.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade was asked to review, amend and supplement regulations to remove obstacles related to electricity production and supply.

Quang Ninh is not only a major tourist destination but also a coal mining and a thermal power hub with seven thermal power plants with a total capacity of 5,640 MW.  

Total electricity ouput in Quang Ninh was estimated at 3.6 billion kWh in May, up 23.12 percent annually. 

In the first five months of 2023, the figure reached 16.7 billion kWh, accounting for 15 percent of the country's total electricity output and 35 percent of the electricity production from coal-fired power plants nationwide.

Power transmission from the Southern region eases Northern power shortage. 

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.

The northern region is facing the risk of power shortage at almost every point of time each day, according to Tran Viet Hoa, head of the Electricity Regulatory Authority of Viet Nam under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT).

At present, the electricity supply situation in the Northern region has improved as a result of increased transmission capacity from the Southern and Central regions.

Some areas have already received rainfall, leading to temporary relief from the scorching heat. Based on the survey conducted on June 10, power outages and scheduled rotational power cuts in the Northern region have been reduced.

The water inflow into hydroelectric reservoirs increased compared to June 9 but remained at low levels. The reservoirs in the Northern, North-Central, and Southeast regions have surpassed the dead storage level by over 1 meter but are still at a relatively low water level.

Therefore, several hydroelectric power plants have resumed operations, but they are generating electricity conservatively due to limited water levels and low capacities, such as Son La, Lai Chau, Huoi Quang, Ban Chat, Thac Ba, Tuyen Quang, Hua Na, Trung Son, and Thac Mo.

In order to assist the hydropower plants in the Northern region in dealing with severe drought conditions, the National Load Dispatch Center announced an increase in the short-term transmission capacity threshold to 2,600 MVA on the 500kV Nho Quan - Nghi Son No.2 - Ha Tinh transmission line, in the South-to-North direction, during specific peak hours, aiming at prioritizing water conservation for multi-purpose hydropower reservoirs in the Northern region.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade has said that the supply of coal and gas has been secured to ensure a steady fuel supply for operating thermal power projects amidst critical low water levels at hydropower reservoirs.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has ordered subordinate levels to take drastic measures to ensure electricity supply in this dry season and the coming time./.