Peak heat, businesses seek electricity saving solutions

Cường Ngô |

Hot weather has caused record electricity demand, forcing power plants to proactively plan to ensure electricity supply, while businesses are looking for electricity saving solutions.

Proactively implementing electricity saving solutions

Mr. Tran Van Le - Director of Phuong Linh Electromechanical Production and Trading Co., Ltd. (Quang Minh commune, Hanoi) - said that besides producing industrial fans for domestic and export, businesses pay special attention to electricity saving solutions to maintain stable operation in hot weather.

According to Mr. Le, energy saving not only helps reduce production costs but also contributes to stabilizing the national power system, towards sustainable development.

To reduce electricity costs, the company has proactively invested in rooftop solar power systems, thereby helping to reduce about 170 million VND in electricity bills per month.

The company also reviewed large power consumption devices such as air compressors, electric motors, production lines, lighting systems, air conditioners, ventilation fans and auxiliary equipment.

Businesses classify electricity use areas, develop norms for each department and production stage, and assign electricity saving targets to each department and workshop to improve energy efficiency.

Mr. Tran Minh Xuan - Deputy General Director of Vietnam Steel Joint Stock Company Vinasteel (VNSTEEL) - said that the enterprise will calculate to adjust the production plan to limit electricity costs in the context of high peak hour electricity prices.

When producing, we will have a plan to adjust working hours to minimize electricity use during peak hours. There are stages of the steel industry that cannot completely avoid operating during this time frame, but businesses will choose and arrange to minimize as much as possible" - Mr. Xuan said.

Representatives of VNSTEEL said that for light manufacturing industries, businesses can be more flexible in using alternative energy sources such as solar or renewable energy. However, for heavy industries such as steel production, this is almost inappropriate due to high requirements for the stability of electricity sources.

Not only businesses, many households are also looking for electricity saving solutions. At No. 35, alley 113, Cao Ky Van street (old Bac Giang), the roof over 100m2 of Ms. Tran Thu Thuy's family has been covered with solar panels. She invested in this system to ensure regular electricity use needs in the hot season.

With a cost of about 200 million VND for a rooftop solar power system with a capacity of 18kWp, along with a 16.1kWh storage system (BESS), Ms. Thuy said that her family's monthly electricity bill has decreased sharply from 5-6 million VND to only nearly 1 million VND/month.

According to data from the National Power System and Electricity Market Operation Co., Ltd. (NSMO), electricity consumption demand continuously sets records. Statistics show that on May 25, the national load capacity at peak afternoon (at 1:40 PM) reached 55,196MW.

Power in the North set a new record at 27,955MW, an increase of 5.8% compared to May 15. Power in the Central and Southern regions were recorded at 5,380MW and 22,109MW respectively. However, the voltage at the nodes on the system and the load capacity of the equipment were within the permissible operating limit.

At peak hours at 10 PM, the load of the national and Northern power systems may reach 53,600MW and 29,300MW respectively. This electricity consumption level marks a new consumption record in 2026, surpassing the operating record for the North in 2025 when the record on August 4, 2025 in the North was 28,187MW.

According to Hanoi Power Corporation, peak capacity (Pmax) reached 6,203MW at 9:30 PM on May 25. This is the highest level in the history of operating the capital's power system, an increase of 3.5% compared to the peak capacity of 5,992MW in 2025.

On the same day, the total city's electricity consumption reached 125.87 million kWh, an increase of nearly 2.5% compared to the highest level of 2025, which was 122.84 million kWh.

The units are always maintained in high readiness.

Talking to Lao Dong Newspaper, Mr. Nguyen Huu Khanh Ngoc - Director of Tri An Hydropower Company - said that the dry season of 2026 is forecast to be more difficult than usual when signs of El Nino have appeared early from the beginning of the year.

According to Mr. Ngoc, to proactively respond to the risk of water shortage and power supply pressure during peak heat, the plant has deployed water storage early, and at the same time adjusted the operating method in a more flexible direction.

Instead of generating electricity according to the planned output as every year, Tri An Hydropower prioritizes mobilization during peak hours when the system needs it, while retaining water to ensure long-term balance. Units are always maintained in high readiness, and capacity can be increased in a short time to compensate for load fluctuations," Mr. Ngoc said.

Talking to Lao Dong Newspaper, Mr. Tran Huu Thanh - Deputy Director of Phu My Thermal Power Company - said that to ensure electricity supply for this summer, Phu My Thermal Power is reviewing the entire equipment system, accelerating the progress of maintenance and repair items to maintain the highest readiness for units when the system needs to be mobilized. The plant also optimizes operating modes to reduce fuel consumption, especially in the context of gas prices increasing sharply at times.

Representatives of Power Generation Corporation 3 informed that in the context of high fuel costs and the forecast to continue to increase sharply in load demand, the unit has developed many operating scenarios according to different situations. In which, the top priority is to ensure the availability of units; proactively coordinate with supply units to ensure stable coal and gas sources; minimize incidents to meet the electricity supply needs for the system.

Regarding the operation of the electricity system in the dry season of 2026, the National Electricity System and Electricity Market Operation Company (NSMO) proposed to flexibly operate hydropower reservoirs until the end of August. Accordingly, reduce mobilization during low hours at night and noon and limit downstream water discharge on weekends and holidays to prioritize water storage to serve peak hot weather.

Tiêu thụ điện ở Hà Nội xác lập kỷ lục. Đồ họa: TKTS
Electricity consumption in Hanoi sets a record. Graphics: TKTS
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