Provincial People`s Committees asked to keep looming power cuts at a minimum

Hanoi (VNA) -- The Ministry of Industry and Trade on on Feb. 15 asked
provincial People's Committees to keep looming power cuts at a minimum.

The ministry also urged that power cuts to be evenly distributed among localities
during the coming dry season.

In a document sent to localities on on Feb. 15, the ministry predicted the
demand for power this year willrise by 16 to 17 percent over last year, which
willput huge pressure on the national electricity grid.

Due to a serious drought in 2010, water levels at reservoirs at hydro-power plants
are very low.

In addition, several new thermal-power plants in the north are yet to generate
stable power supplies while a breakdown at the Phu My 3 power plant on January 23
cut power production at the plant by 50 percent. Repairs at the plant are expected
to take three months.

The ministry required committees to ask their local Department of Industry and
Trade to cooperate with local power companies to map out plans for power supplies
during the dry season.

The plans must include figures on the power output allocated to each province and
city as well as monthly schedules for planned power cuts.

Scheduled power cuts must also prioritise important political and social events
held at various localities and establishments such as hospitals that require
constant power supplies.

Local departments of Industry and Trade were also asked to cooperate with power
companies to launch programmes encouraging people and households to take measures
to save power./.