At the discussion “Power Provision in the Dry Season of 2024” held on the afternoon of April 08, Mr. Nguyen Quoc Dung – head of the business department of EVN said that the current electricity saving policy plays a very important role and is a consistent national policy. Implementing good policies has a major impact on the economy and costs for each household, while businesses could reduce the cost of their products, contributing to increasing their competitiveness at home and abroad. Most importantly, it reduces pressure on the power supply system, especially during the peak hot months.
“For the power system, reducing consumption during peak seasons will ensure supply and demand balance, reduce the risk of accidents, and ensure sufficient electricity supply for social supply. The power system also doesn’t have to mobilize expensive power sources, which helps reduce pressure on electricity prices” – according to Mr. Dung.
 Mr. Nguyen Quoc Dung – head of the business department of EVN. Source: Screenshot
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How much can using an air conditioner increase your bill?
Mr. Dung said that various equipment that is not an air conditioner can be used comfortably all year round, and saving habits related to these devices seem to have been there for a long time. But in the case of air conditioners, the most frequent usage is during the hot season, which sometimes lasts for 3-5 months. And because air conditioners are not continuously used, users sometimes forget about saving energy while using them, even though they are high-power load components that consume a lot of energy.
“For example, if a household uses 200 units of electricity per month, using an additional air conditioner will move electricity usage to the next higher price brackets, so it will be a significant increase. You sometimes only realize it when you actually receive your bill” – noted Mr. Dung.
According to Mr. Dung, an air conditioner can account for 50% – 70% of a household’s total electricity usage. A 12,000 BTU air conditioner, for example, consumes around 1.2 kWh. If used for 8 hours each day, it would consume around 288 units of electricity per month.
“We calculated that, for families who use a small amount of electricity and are therefore in price brackets 2 or lower, using an additional air conditioner would move usage to price brackets 3 and 4. Using an air conditioner would mean paying an additional 644,000 VND per month at the price bracket 3 rate.
As for households using electricity at price bracket 5, all electricity used would be charged at the bracket 6 rate, and they would have to pay an additional 907,000 VND per month, which is a significant amount of money.”
Mr. Dung said that EVN has compared electricity usage in several residential areas and at different times of the year.
“Comparing July, when everyone uses air conditioners, to November, a cooler month, we found that electricity usage of residential customers increased by about 29% in July. The cost of electricity also increased by 38%.”
The same comparison in Hanoi showed an impressive increase in electricity usage of 38% and an 85% increase in the cost of electricity.
“Clearly, this is a major load component that affects households when they receive their bills and also puts a lot of pressure on the system,” concludes Mr. Dung.
The question is how to use air conditioners efficiently and save money.
Use air conditioners in the right way to help the electricity sector
How can you save money and increase the efficiency of your devices? According to Mr. Dung, several solutions can help people use their air conditioners more efficiently, which would directly decrease their electricity bills.
First is the device choice. Mr. Dung recommends that people should choose new air conditioners with inverter technology and energy-saving labels. He said that such devices could reduce electricity costs by 15% – 30%.
The second is regular maintenance, which is very important because it improves the efficiency of the devices and reduces electricity costs. Mr. Dung suggests that users should clean their air conditioners every 3-6 months. This can save 10% – 15% on electricity costs.
The third is how you use your air conditioner. “We should use air conditioners at 26-27 degrees Celsius or higher during the day, and above 27 degrees Celsius at night. This is a temperature range that ensures comfortable living conditions without wasting electricity” – he adds. “After all, for every degree Celsius the temperature is lowered (for example, from 26 degrees Celsius to 25 degrees Celsius), electricity consumption increases by 3%, which is a significant number.”
“Using air conditioners the right way will have long-term benefits for both households and society” – concludes Mr. Dung.
