>> EVN says higher power prices inevitable
Higher demand, coupled with lower hydroelectric power output during the dry season may lead to power shortages.
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The Ministry of Industry and Trade said the country will see the most severe shortages in the four months between March and June. During that time, he said, power shortages of between 1.2 and 1.6 billion kWh could be possible.
The electricity demands of the country may not be met this year, despite the mobilization of high-cost oil-fueled power plants and the importation of electricity from China.
Even with this higher demand this year, the forecast is that the total national power output will be 115.4 billion kWh for 2011. It’s estimated that during the dry season alone, energy consumption could reach 54.58 billion kWh, up 15% from last year.
Recently, Electricity of Vietnam (EVN), the country’s only distributor of electricity, proposed a raise for its rates to reflect increased demand and operational expenses, including the increased price of fuel.
EVN said that they Government could help by setting up and facilitating negotiations with possible foreign and domestic investors. EVN wants to raise around VND13 trillion (USD650 million) in capital for oil-fueled power generation so they can increase their output by 3.8 billion kWh during the dry season.
