Media: in 2027 Vietnam may face a shortage of electricity

According to the Ministry of Commerce of Vietnam, the country may face a shortage of electricity from next year, as projects for the construction of power plants and electricity networks are behind schedule.

Citing “very slow” progress in recent years, the ministry said only 5 percent of the energy projects under the national development plan were operational. Most are still under development or pending approval due to issues such as investor selection, land procedures and network preparation.

“While supply is expected to match demand this year, rising electricity consumption and delays in new projects could lead to a 4,200 megawatt capacity shortfall next year and a power shortfall of about 2.9 billion kilowatt hours,” the ministry said in a report.

It says the gap could widen to around 13,900 MW and 61.2 billion kWh by 2030.

“Vietnam’s drive to deliver at least 10 percent of annual economic growth by the end of the decade is putting pressure on the nation’s power grid, with new plants, technology and infrastructure projects increasing demand for electricity faster than capacity can be ramped up.”.

It notes that these risks were identified during power outages in 2023, when drought led to lower water levels in hydroelectric reservoirs and forced businesses and industrial parks in the north of the country to shut down.