At a conference with energy corporations, general corporations, and localities on ensuring electricity supply during the 2026 dry season peak, Minister of Industry and Trade Le Manh Hung emphasized that this year's hot weather has exceeded many previous forecast scenarios, especially in the North when load increased earlier than expected while the area's baseline electricity source has developed slowly for many years. In the context of the economy moving towards the double-digit growth target according to the Resolution of the 14th Party Congress, the task of ensuring energy security and providing sufficient electricity is becoming more urgent and burdensome.
To respond to the new situation, the Minister directed functional units to urgently update the entire power system operating scenario based on a close assessment of the first 5 months of 2026, and at the same time build a risk management matrix for ensuring energy security and national power supply, to be completed before May 30, 2026.
Along with that, Minister Le Manh Hung requested corporations and power generation units to ensure sufficient coal, gas, materials and chemicals for the operation of power plants; and at the same time improve the availability of units, prepare sufficient manpower, materials and contractors to quickly handle incidents arising during the peak dry season. Regarding the transmission and distribution grid, the Minister requested EVN to strengthen inspection of power lines and transformer stations at risk of full load, not to let power outages occur during the hot weather affecting people's lives and business production activities of enterprises, and at the same time proactively develop response plans for extreme weather such as thunderstorms, lightning and heavy rain.
The Minister also requested the Office of the State Steering Committee for important national programs, projects, and key energy sector projects to focus on monitoring and closely supervising the investment progress of key power source and grid projects that are decisive for ensuring electricity supply; power line projects serving electricity imports and releasing capacity for renewable energy. Monitoring work must be carried out regularly and promptly report to the Steering Committee to handle arising difficulties and obstacles.
Emphasizing the role of electricity saving and energy saving, the Minister directed the Department of Innovation, Green Transformation and Industrial Promotion to urgently and synchronously implement the National Program on energy saving and efficiency in all fields, including communication work.
The Minister said that Directive No. 10/CT-TTg of the Prime Minister has set out specific goals and targets on strengthening electricity saving. To ensure that these goals are implemented substantively, synchronously and can be inspected and evaluated in the implementation process, it is necessary to concretize them with quantification mechanisms, KPI allocation and clear responsibilities to each level, each unit, and each relevant group of subjects. On that basis, the Minister requested the Department of Innovation, Green Transition and Industrial Promotion to urgently build and complete the KPI set for implementing electricity saving based on Directive No. 10/CT-TTg, the Law on Energy Saving and Efficiency Use and the National Program on Energy Saving and Efficiency Use for the period 2019-2030, as a basis for organizing unified and synchronous implementation nationwide.
In addition, the Minister also requested the Departments of Industry and Trade and electricity units to continue to promote the implementation of Directive No. 10/CT-TTg on strengthening electricity saving, and at the same time encourage the development of rooftop solar power. At the same time, he emphasized that in the context of rapid load growth, relying solely on technical solutions will make it very difficult to reduce pressure on the power system without the companionship of people and businesses in using electricity economically and efficiently.
In addition to ensuring fuel, improving power availability and safe grid operation, the most fundamental, direct and effective solution today is to use electricity economically and efficiently and adjust load, especially during peak hours from 6 pm to 11 pm. Electricity units need to continue working with large customers to implement voluntary load adjustment programs, shifting part of electricity demand out of peak hours; and at the same time strengthen communication, recommending people, agencies, and businesses to limit the simultaneous use of high-capacity equipment during peak hours.
The Minister requested units to continue to closely follow assigned tasks, proactively coordinate and synchronously implement solutions on power sources, power grids, system dispatch, power saving and load adjustment, in order to ensure safe and stable power supply during the peak dry season of 2026.
