The Vietnam News |
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HANOI -
Slowing power consumption growth
in Vietnam coupled with earlier rains
has eased a long-term power crunch
in the country, officials said on
Wednesday.
Vietnam power surplus seen as demand growth slowsThe communist-ruled state could be heading for a generating surplus and could sell electricity to neighbouring Cambodia, they said. ``At the beginning of the year (we) predicted that power demand in the first six months would increase by 12.5 percent, but it appears the actual growth was about 7-8 percent,'' said an official from the state monopoly Electricity of Vietnam (EVN). He added that a general slowing of the Vietnamese economy was to blame. In March, EVN estimated that in 1999 Vietnam would face a generating shortfall of up to 500 million kilowatt/hours, but the official told Reuters the actual figure would be less, or there might even be a small surplus. Vietnam's economy is expected to grow three to four percent this year, down from 1998's official figure of 5.8 percent. The EVN official said the rainy season, which arrived two weeks earlier than normal in mid-April, had brought good rainfall over the country and topped up hydropower reservoirs. Some 63 percent of Vietnam's power comes from hydro sources. The rainy season in the country normally runs from May to October. Vietnam also sells small amounts of power to Laos. The EVN official said generating capacity would increase later this year when the new Yali hydropower plant came onstream. Vietnam's annual power generating capacity is estimated to be between 5,179 megawatts and 5,500 MW. Last year the country generated more than 17.7 billion kwh, down from 19.7 billion kwh in 1997, mainly due to water shortages at hydropower plants. Domestic consumption ate up 41 percent of the power generated last year, industry 38.2 percent and agriculture 12.9 percent, official figures show. Reuters - June 23, 1998. |