An official from EVN checking the 220 kV Xuân Mai substation. Photo: Huy Hùng/TTXVN
To proactively operate the power system and ensure electricity supply during the Lunar New Year holiday in the Year of the Horse, EVN and related units have developed a plan to ensure safe and fire-fighting electricity supply. EVN and related units in the area have also been assigned to work 24/7 and prepare human resources, vehicles, materials, and equipment to handle any power outages that may occur.
EVN has also requested that units coordinate with local authorities, police, and military forces to develop and implement plans to protect security, order, safety, and fire prevention for power facilities, agency headquarters, warehouses, etc.
During the Lunar New Year holiday in the Year of the Horse from February 8 to 14, 2024 (from the 29th of the lunar month to the 5th of the lunar month), power-related activities will not be carried out, except in emergency situations.
In addition, EVN has requested that units be prepared to implement measures to prevent epidemics, following the instructions of the Ministry of Health and local functional agencies.
In operating the power system, the National Power Dispatch Center (A0) has calculated and developed operation plans for power sources and grids based on actual conditions. According to the annual pattern, the national electricity consumption during the Lunar New Year will significantly decrease compared to normal days. According to forecasted data, the total national power consumption during the Year of the Horse holiday could be as low as 14,700 MW to 17,500 MW, or about 60% lower than usual.
With the low power consumption during the Lunar New Year holiday, various types of power sources must reduce their generation to match the demand. In reality, to ensure the safe and stable operation of the power system, A0 is required to maintain a minimum number of traditional power plants (such as coal-fired power plants, gas turbines, hydroelectric power plants, etc.) to ensure inertia and stability for the power system, as well as provide sufficient reserve capacity in case of power source failures or abnormal operational fluctuations.
Due to the low power consumption level, the traditional power sources have stopped/reduced their generation to the technical limit, but the total power generation still exceeds the consumption, leading to the compulsory adjustment and reduction of mobilized capacity from all types of power sources, including renewable energy sources (such as small hydroelectric power plants, solar power, wind power), to ensure the safe operation of the national power system.
In order to enhance transparency and public access to information about the operation of the national power system, since September 2021, A0 has been daily posting data on the expected mobilized power capacity for the next day by type of power source, for typical hourly periods: Midday hours (maximum solar radiation but low power consumption) and Afternoon-evening hours (high power consumption but very low solar radiation). These data are published and updated daily on the website of the National Power Dispatch Center (https://www.nldc.evn.vn/Thitruongdien).
EVN requests the owners of power plants to closely coordinate with Dispatch Centers at all levels to strictly implement dispatch orders, ensuring the safe operation of the national power system, especially during the Lunar New Year holiday in the Year of the Horse 2024, when power consumption will sharply decrease compared to normal days.
