Ministry of Industry and Trade ensures safe power supply during the April 30 - May 1 holidays

Strong leadership and synchronous participation

Mr. Nguyen Duc Ninh - General Director of the National Electricity System and Market Operation Company (NSMO) - said that since the end of 2024, Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien had given very early and drastic instructions in Directive No. 15/CT-BCT dated December 13, 2024 (Directive 15) on ensuring electricity supply during holidays, Tet and major political and cultural events in 2025, in which the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the South and national reunification is an important political event taking place nationwide.

Then, on March 27, the Electricity Department issued Official Dispatch No. 155/DL-HTD dated March 27, 2025 on ensuring power supply during the April 30 and May 1 holidays, requesting EVN and NSMO to closely coordinate in planning and implementing to ensure power supply for the National Power System during the Hung Kings' Commemoration Day and the April 30 and May 1 holidays as well as the whole year 2025.

To carry out this task, NSMO, as the "conductor" of the power system, has coordinated with Vietnam Electricity Group (EVN) and related units to develop plans and preparations to ensure power supply during the April 30 and May 1 holidays with the highest goal of Ensure safe power supply, no subjective incidents, provide enough power in all situations; establish an operating method with enough reserves to be ready to respond to possible incidents, especially high reserves for April 30.

Functional units of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, NSMO and EVN have inspected the power supply during the April 30-May 1 holiday and the 2025 dry season at Ho Chi Minh City Power Corporation, Southern Power Corporation and transmission units...

Working delegation of the Ministry of Industry and Trade and EVN inspected the on-duty work to ensure operation at Saigon Electricity Company (under EVNHCMC)

According to forecasts, hot weather during the holidays may occur but not severely. In addition, during the long holidays, industrial loads stop production, so the demand for the power system load will decrease. During the holidays, the power system load is expected to be only 65-75% compared to normal days.

The power system will experience a surplus of power, especially during peak solar hours (9am-3pm daily), affecting the ability to absorb renewable energy (RE) during this time frame. The expected average power output absorbed from RE sources is about ~85% compared to the forecast, with the average mobilized capacity on days ranging from 55%-90% depending on the load development, thermal power source configuration, hydrological situation of hydroelectric reservoirs and primary energy of RE sources.

Voltage on the power system may increase due to low demand for electricity, however, low voltage may appear in the evening in the Southern region when solar power sources are not generating.

Ensure electricity in all situations

On April 30 and May 1 , NSMO will arrange a reasonable source operation method to ensure safety and reliability under normal conditions and flexibly switch in abnormal situations, balancing sources in the regions.

Reasonable arrangement of repair time for power sources throughout the system, ensuring sufficient backup capacity for the system at all times. Ensuring the number of generators to adjust the reactive power, ensuring inertia and stability of the power system.

Especially do not arrange unnecessary tests during the holiday season.

Ho Chi Minh City electricity workers install backup stations to provide priority power for areas where activities take place during the April 30 and May 1 holidays.

For thermal power plants, ensure constraints against grid overload and voltage quality, maintain the minimum possible power configuration to ensure system stability and inertia according to the unit's capacity (especially during the period from 9am to 3pm and at night off-peak), limit deep frequency drops when there is a unit failure and meet peak load demand.

In case the system inertia falls below the required level, the Dispatching levels proactively mobilize available generators, prioritizing hydroelectric generators running at compensation or operating at minimum capacity, as well as coal-fired thermal power generators with low Pmin or good primary frequency response, to increase inertia and stabilize system frequency.

It is expected that on April 30, the North will maintain 35 coal-fired thermal power units (9 units higher than the minimum configuration), the Central and Southern regions will maintain 19 coal-fired thermal power units and gas turbines (1 unit higher than the minimum configuration).

For hydropower sources: Increase mobilization of Son La, Hoa Binh and Tri An generators to ensure frequency regulation reserve capacity for regions.

Hydropower plants mobilize according to actual hydrological situation and optimal regulation orientation according to monthly operation plan, mobilize hydropower plants to maximize water resources, minimize excess discharge while meeting grid constraints/system demand, water level and downstream water supply requirements according to inter-reservoir process.

Reduce the power transmission flow on the 500 kV North-South lines to be ready to respond to possible incidents. Especially on April 30, keep the transmission flow between the North, Central and South regions at approximately 0 MW, mobilize power sources to ensure that regions self-balance between power sources and intra-regional load demand. On April 29 and May 1, set a transmission limit of 50% of capacity (approximately 1,800 ÷ 2,000 MW) to ensure backup.

In addition, NSMO will also implement other technical solutions to ensure safe and continuous operation of the power system.

Minister of Industry and Trade gives direction at working session to ensure electricity supply during April 30 - May 1 holiday and dry season in 2025

In order to ensure safe and stable power supply, absolutely no incidents during the April 30 - May 1 holidays and events celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification, Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien has requested EVN and related units to deploy a series of key measures.

EVN has directed power corporations to develop plans to ensure electricity at key locations such as Party and State headquarters, locations hosting major political and cultural events in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and other localities. Units must re-establish shifts, increase manpower at transformer stations, and prioritize 24/7 power supply for areas with important loads.

Power generation units are required not to carry out repairs during the holidays, and to prepare human resources, fuel, and materials to maintain maximum availability. The National Power Transmission Corporation and NSMO carefully review the operation method, ensure flexible mobilization, system stability, and control of voltage, capacity, and current on the 500kV North-South axis.

The Ministry also assigned the Electricity Department and the Oil and Gas - Coal Department to closely monitor the supply and demand situation and promptly handle any arising situations, especially in areas where national events are held.

With close direction from the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the proactiveness and close coordination of EVN, NSMO and related units, along with the high sense of responsibility of the staff and workers of the electricity industry, the power supply for the April 30 - May 1 holiday will be guaranteed.

Nguyen Vu

Source: https://congthuong.vn/bo-cong-thuong-dam-bao-cung-cap-dien-an-toan-trong-dip-le-304-15-384452.html