On the afternoon of May 26, at the headquarters of the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), Minister Le Manh Hung chaired a conference with energy groups, corporations and localities on ensuring electricity supply during the 2026 dry season peak.

Also attending the conference were Deputy Minister Truong Thanh Hoai, Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Long, representatives of departments, agencies, the National System and Market Operation Company Limited (NSMO) and relevant units under the MoIT, along with energy groups and corporations, electricity transmission and distribution enterprises, and representatives from centrally-run provinces and cities.

Northern power demand repeatedly hits record highs

The conference took place amid a context in which power plants and the electricity grid have generally operated safely and stably to meet system demand. However, increasingly unusual weather patterns and intense heatwaves occurring simultaneously across all three regions have caused electricity demand to surge sharply. The national power system has recorded unprecedented levels in both electricity consumption and peak load capacity, placing the operation of the power system under new pressures and requiring higher standards in the management and operation of the national electricity system.

At the conference, Minister Hung requested power generation investors, energy enterprises and local Departments of Industry and Trade to focus discussions on solutions addressing issues raised by the MoIT and NSMO, with the overarching goal of ensuring a safe and stable electricity supply for the economy and people’s daily lives, even under extreme scenarios, while keeping energy prices affordable for both residents and businesses.

Reporting at the conference, Nguyen Duc Cuong, Chairman of the Members’ Council of NSMO, said that the period from May 25 to 28 marks the peak of the heatwave in the northern and central regions, during which electricity demand in the North and across the national power system is expected to continue rising and likely surpass previous records set during earlier heatwaves. To ensure the safe and flexible operation of the national power system, NSMO has simultaneously deployed a range of technical measures and flexible operational solutions to cope with the risk of demand reaching new record highs.

Regarding power sources and the electricity grid, Nguyen Anh Tuan, General Director of Vietnam Electricity (EVN), stated that the power system is currently operating under extremely challenging conditions. Many transmission lines and substations are facing overload risks due to soaring electricity demand amid prolonged hot weather. In response, the National Power Transmission Corporation and power corporations have been instructed to strengthen on-duty forces, prepare emergency response scenarios and closely coordinate with NSMO in load dispatching and operation of the national power system. EVN also said it had directed power corporations to work with major customers to implement voluntary demand response programs, encouraging electricity consumption to be shifted away from evening peak hours.

According to Phan Tu Giang, Deputy General Director of the Vietnam National Industry - Energy Group (Petrovietnam), all power plants under the group are operating in line with the system dispatch schedule while maintaining high readiness in both technical operations and fuel supply in order to contribute to ensuring electricity supply during the 2026 peak heat season.

Meanwhile, Phan Xuan Thuy, Deputy General Director of the Vietnam National Coal - Mineral Industries Group (TKV), affirmed that the availability rate of thermal power plants under the group currently remains above 90%, basically meeting NSMO’s dispatch requirements. TKV said it is directing its units to focus fully on operations during the dry season peak months to maintain the highest possible readiness of generating units, while ensuring adequate coal supply for thermal power plants in accordance with signed contracts.

At the conference, localities and power generation units also shared updates on the implementation of measures to ensure electricity supply and develop on-site power sources, while pointing out difficulties and obstacles in production activities, project implementation and compliance with sector-specific legal regulations, including those related to environmental protection and fire prevention and fighting. Representatives from departments, agencies and functional units under the MoIT also clarified and addressed issues raised by localities and power generation units.

Building KPIs for electricity saving

Concluding the meeting, Minister Le Manh Hung acknowledged and highly appreciated the proactive efforts made by energy groups, electricity enterprises and local authorities in simultaneously implementing various solutions to ensure electricity supply for the economy amid extreme weather conditions and rapidly increasing power demand. He stressed that this year’s heatwaves had exceeded many previously forecast scenarios, particularly in the North where electricity demand rose earlier than expected while baseload power sources in the region have developed slowly over many years. In the context of the economy striving for double-digit growth in line with the Resolution of the 14th National Party Congress, the task of ensuring energy security and adequate electricity supply has become even more urgent and demanding.

To respond to the evolving situation, the minister instructed relevant units to urgently update all power system operation scenarios based on a close assessment of actual developments during the first five months of 2026, while also developing a risk management matrix for ensuring national energy security and electricity supply, to be completed before May 30, 2026. At the same time, he requested groups and power generation units to ensure sufficient supplies of coal, gas, equipment and chemicals for plant operations, while improving the availability of generating units and preparing adequate personnel, materials and contractors to promptly address any incidents arising during the dry season peak.

Regarding the transmission and distribution grid, the minister instructed EVN to strengthen inspections of transmission lines and substations at risk of overload, ensuring that no power outages occur during heatwaves that could affect people’s lives and business activities. EVN was also asked to proactively prepare response plans for extreme weather conditions such as thunderstorms, lightning and heavy rain.

The minister also requested the Office of the State Steering Committee for national key energy programs, projects and works to closely monitor and supervise the progress of major power source and grid projects that play a decisive role in ensuring electricity supply, including transmission lines serving electricity imports and renewable energy capacity transmission. Monitoring activities must be conducted regularly, with timely reports submitted to the Steering Committee for handling emerging difficulties and obstacles.

Emphasizing the importance of electricity and energy saving, the minister instructed Agency for Innovation, Green Transition and Industry Promotion to urgently and synchronously implement the national program on economical and efficient use of energy across all sectors, including communications activities.

According to the minister, Directive No.10/CT-TTg issued by the Prime Minister has set out specific targets and indicators for strengthening electricity saving. To ensure that these objectives are implemented substantively, synchronously and can be monitored and evaluated throughout the implementation process, they need to be concretized through measurable mechanisms, KPI allocation and clearly defined responsibilities for each level, unit and stakeholder group. On that basis, the minister requested the Agency for Innovation, Green Transition and Industry Promotion  to urgently formulate and finalize a set of KPIs for electricity-saving implementation based on Directive No.10/CT-TTg, the Law on Economical and Efficient Use of Energy, and the national program on economical and efficient use of energy for the 2019-2030 period, serving as a foundation for consistent and synchronized implementation nationwide.

In addition, the minister instructed local Departments of Industry and Trade and electricity units to continue promoting the implementation of Directive No.10/CT-TTg on strengthening electricity saving, while encouraging the development of rooftop solar power. He also stressed that in the context of rapidly increasing electricity demand, relying solely on technical solutions would make it difficult to reduce pressure on the power system without the active participation of people and businesses in using electricity economically and efficiently.

Alongside ensuring fuel supply, improving the availability of power sources and maintaining the safe operation of the electricity grid, the most fundamental, direct and effective solution at present is to promote economical and efficient electricity use and demand-side management, particularly during evening peak hours from 6 pm to 11 pm. Electricity units were requested to continue working with major customers to implement voluntary demand response programs and shift part of electricity consumption away from peak hours, while also intensifying communications efforts and advising residents, agencies and enterprises to avoid simultaneously using multiple high-capacity electrical devices during peak periods.

The minister requested all relevant units to continue closely following assigned tasks and proactively coordinating the synchronized implementation of solutions related to power sources, electricity grids, system dispatching, electricity saving and demand response in order to ensure safe and stable electricity supply during the 2026 dry season peak.