Blackouts still plague the South

Blackouts have continued in Ho Chi Minh City, despite commitments by national power supplier Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) not to cut power anymore starting on the first day of this month.

On Thursday on Nguyen Trai Street in District 5's Wards 4, 7 and 11, the noise of electricity generators echoed from many households and businesses because of a blackout.

Power outages have occured twice a week here for more than a month, starting from 7am to 5pm, according to local residents.

"My generator consumes up to 20 litres of diesel for 8 hours a day," said Nguyen Thi Lan, a sportshop owner on the street, adding the generator cost her VND18 million (around US$1,000).

"I bought it in the middle of May, during the peak of power outages. The blackouts caused me lots of trouble in my businesses and daily life," she said.

Blackouts have also happened two days a week since the end of May at neighbourhoods along Go Vap District's Pham Van Bach, Tan Son and Phan Huy Ich streets and District 8's Pham The Hien Street.

"We have cut power two days a week since May 29," said Tran Khiem Tuan, deputy director of EVN's HCM City branch, "We have widely publicised the power cut schedule in local media."

According to the schedule, from July 7 to 13, power cuts will occur in all 24 districts from 6am to 5pm at least two days a week.

However, EVN had earlier predicted that starting the second week of July, the strain on electricity supplies would stop because of rains bringing cooler weather, higher water levels at hydro-electric dams and the resolution of problems at thermo-power plants.