Vietnam Urges Citizens to Conserve Electricity Amid Record Bills

Vietnam has begun urging citizens and businesses to conserve electricity following an extreme heatwave that has driven national energy consumption to its highest level in history. State-owned utility Vietnam Electricity (EVN) is asking households and the commercial sector to use power more efficiently to reduce pressure on the national grid, which is facing a surge in demand. “Using electricity efficiently and effectively not only helps reduce electricity bills but also eases pressure on the national grid,” EVN said in a statement on Thursday. Electricity demand in the country has soared as temperatures continue to rise. The national weather agency forecast that temperatures in several regions would exceed 40 degrees Celsius on Thursday. EVN recorded a peak load of 58.46 gigawatts on Wednesday, a new record for Vietnam. The surge in consumption was primarily driven by increased use of air conditioning and electronic devices to cope with the hot weather. To reduce the strain on the power system, EVN is urging the public to set air conditioner temperatures no lower than 26 degrees Celsius. The company is also encouraging the use of natural lighting and ventilation to curb energy consumption. In addition to calling for conservation, Vietnam is increasing electricity imports from neighbouring countries. EVN stated that all domestic power plants are currently operating at maximum capacity to ensure a safe and sufficient power supply. The measures are being taken to anticipate the risk of supply disruptions amid high energy demand, which is expected to continue throughout the period of extreme heat.