According to the Electricity and Renewable Energy Authority under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, to date, up to 47 among 62 power projects nationwide are behind schedule which would result in serious electricity shortages in the 2021-2025 period.

Up to 47 among 62 power projects nationwide are behind schedule

The power shortfall has been forecasted at around 6.6 billion kWh by 2021, and the figure would rise to 11.8 billion kWh by 2022 and 15 billion kWh by 2023.

To improve the situation, the ministry has recommended importing more electricity from China and Laos.

In terms of Lao power imports, the two governments signed a deal with around 5,000 MW to be imported by 2030.

Meanwhile, the Chinese electricity purchasing agreement is set to expire by the end of 2020, so the Ministry of Industry and Trade is waiting for the government’s approval for the proposal to import Chinese electricity between 2021 and 2025.

The ministry added that Chinese electricity prices are lower than Vietnamese coal-run thermal power plants.

However, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Hoang Quoc Vuong said that power imports were just a temporary solution. In the long run, it is essential to find better ways of ensuring domestic power supplies.