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Dec 09, 2023

People, enterprises in Vietnam save electricity in prolonged hot weather

Some public lights are turned off to save electricity. — VNA/VNS Photo Minh

Some public lights are turned off to save electricity. — VNA/VNS Photo Minh Nghĩa

June 7, 2023

HANOI — Nguyễn Thị Hoa, who lives in Tây Hồ District in Hà Nội, has actively reduced her electricity usage over the past two months.

To save electricity, instead of turning on all the lights every evening as before, her house now only uses half the lights.

In addition, she always reminds her family members to turn off unnecessary light bulbs and electrical equipment.

"I read newspapers about the electricity shortage, so I always remind my family to reduce electricity as much as possible. Moreover, if we don't conserve electricity, our monthly costs will increase significantly," said Hoa.

During April and May, there were several prolonged hot weather periods across the country. The temperature sometimes reached 39-40 degrees Celsius.

This year, it is forecast that the temperature will be approximately 0.5 degrees Celsius higher than the multi-year average. Consequently, the demand for electricity will increase in the near future.

The power supply in the dry season this year is predicted to be challenging due to the significant rise in electricity demand.

Recognising the difficult situation, many businesses have also actively implemented various solutions to conserve electricity in their production processes.

The Hưng Yên Garment Corporation has 13 plants with 16,000 workers and 300 sewing lines, so its demand for electricity is huge.

To save electricity, the company gives instructions about electricity saving to every worker and builds a process to save electricity.

It replaces electrical equipment with new technology that consumes less electricity, turns off electricity in unoccupied rooms and limits lighting equipment in corridors.

Nguyễn Xuân Dương, chairman of the corporation's board of directors, said that all enterprises under the corporation had relatively large roofs, thus the corporation aimed for each enterprise to install solar power.

With the methods that had been implemented, the corporation reduced about 20 per cent of electricity, said Dương.

Trần Viết Ngãi, chairman of the Việt Nam Energy Association, said that in the context of prolonged hot weather, it was essential to implement electricity saving. The work needed to be done immediately and consistently.

"Saving electricity is a national policy that is extremely important and necessary. Not only the electricity industry but every family must raise awareness of saving electricity," he said.

Ngãi proposed the Party, the State and Government create conditions for the electricity industry, the oil, gas, coal-minerals and other energy industries to build more factories to overcome the electricity shortage.

Capital city's efforts

Workers from EVNHANOI check power cables. — VNA/VNS Photo Huy Hùng

Hà Nội has instructed citizens about saving electricity.

Administrative agencies, offices and schools are required to turn off or reduce 50 per cent of the lighting system in corridors, parking lots, campuses, and public areas.

They are recommended to use 50 per cent of the elevators depending on the use frequency, and encourage use of stairs.

They are also encouraged to take advantage of natural light in the office.

Trading and services enterprises are asked to turn off all decorative lighting, advertising and signs from 10pm. They are encouraged to use backup generators and solar power if possible.

Every evening, electricity workers in Hoàng Mai District go around the streets and alleys, and use loudspeakers to instruct people to use electricity sparingly.

The work often starts at 7.30pm and ends at 10pm.

Thái Văn Biên, an electricity worker, said that most of the residents followed the instructions.

Since May 17, the Hà Nội Urban Lighting Company (Hapulico) has operated a power-saving mode for the public lighting system, ensuring both lighting and public security and order.

The work is in response to Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính's Official Dispatch No 397/CĐ-TTg on May 13 on implementing urgent measures to cope with drought, water shortage, and conduct the national programme on economical and efficient use of energy.

Hapulico general director Nguyễn Anh Tuấn said that the company turned on the lights 30 minutes later and turned them off 30 minutes earlier than the normal operating mode.

For street lights, lights in alleys and suburban areas, the company will cut down one-third of the number of lights.

As for streets with four lanes of lights such as Võ Chí Công, Hoàng Sa and Thăng Long, it cuts 50 per cent of the lights.

For lighting systems in parks and flower gardens, it operates up to 50 per cent of the lights and cuts off all lights after 11pm.

Tuấn said that in recent years, Hapulico had advised Hà Nội authorities to use light-emitting diode (LED) in public lighting systems to replace traditional bulbs, thereby reducing 50 per cent of power consumption.

From the last days of May, although the Nội Bài International Airport was crowded with passengers, nearly 80 per cent of the lights in the terminal were turned off.

All billboards’ lights that are not used and decorative lighting are completely turned off.

According to the Hà Nội Electricity Corporation (EVNHANOI), by saving electricity in public lighting, the city saved a significant amount of power.

From May 15 to 30 this year, the city saved more than 12 million kWh of electricity.

EVNHANOI will continue to deploy different solutions and plans to save 18 million kWh this month. — VNS