Thermal power slumps as renewable energy soars 180 percent

According to Vietnam Electricity (EVN), in the first quarter of this year, electricity mobilized from gas-fired thermal power plants and coal-fired thermal power plants must cut by 12-21 percent compared to last year because renewable energy (solar power) increased rapidly by up to 180 percent.
In a press release on the morning of April 7, EVN said that in Q1, it had ensured a safe and stable power supply, meeting electricity demand for production and business activities and the daily life of the people in localities. Especially, it had increased electricity supply to hospitals, medical establishments, and concentrated isolation areas for the prevention of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In the first three months of this year, electricity production and imports of the whole system reached 59.65 billion kWh, an increase of 4.1 percent over the same period in 2020.

Of which, power mobilization included 13.86 billion kWh from hydropower, up 55.4 percent year-on-year, 7.44 billion kWh from gas-fired thermal power, down 21.4 percent year-on-year, 29.75 billion kWh from coal-fired thermal power, down 12.4 percent year-on-year, and 7.79 billion kWh from renewable energy, up 180.6 percent year-on-year. Of which, solar power alone generated 7.13 billion kWh.

Besides, Vietnam still had to import electricity, with an output of 405 million kWh in the first quarter, down 58 percent over the same period last year.

In the first quarter of this year, electricity produced by EVN and power generation corporations, including joint-stock companies, reached 29.22 billion kWh, accounting for nearly 49 percent of the electricity production and imports of the whole system.

Of which, the total electricity output of power plants 100-percent owned by EVN, excluding EVNGENCO3 and joint-stock companies, reached 16.89 billion kWh, accounting for 28.3 percent. The output of commercial electricity of the whole EVN in the first quarter was estimated at 50.81 billion kWh, up 3.2 percent year-on-year.

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