HCMC – Electricity imports from Laos should be taken into account due to a possible power shortage in northern Vietnam from 2022 to 2025, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade has written to the Prime Minister proposing a plan to import electricity from five hydropower plants in Laos, with a total generation capacity of 705.5 MW, and to build direct transmission lines from the hydropower plants in Laos to Vietnam.
The electricity import price is capped at 6.95 U.S. cents/kWh for hydropower plants in Laos operating before December 31, 2025, according to the ministry’s report approved by the Prime Minister. The Vietnam Electricity Group (EVN) is responsible for negotiating a price that is not higher than the cap with the power plants in Laos.
In addition, the ministry suggested building the new 220 kV double circuit transmission line Dien Bien-Nam Ou 5 with a total length of around 20 kilometers in Vietnam’s territory to transmit electricity from Laos to Vietnam.
Previously, EVN submitted a report to the Ministry of Industry and Trade forecasting a surge in electricity demand in the next few years.
In the 2022-2025 period, the demand for electricity in the northern part of the country is expected to increase 9.5-11% a year, probably leading to an electricity undersupply during the dry season.
The northern region may face a maximum shortfall of over 7,600 MW in 2025, according to the report.
Moreover, any incidents occurring in the generator sets and the 500 kV Ha Tinh-Nho Quan transmission lines will severely affect the power supply of the northern provinces.
