A high-voltage power grid. --Photo Energy and Mining News Centre

Vietnam to import more power from Laos to prevent shortage 

Vietnam is set to import more electricity from Laos as its fast-growing economy is close to facing power shortages in the coming years, according to a media report.
The Vietnamese government has requested the Ministry of Industry and Trade to review and promote cooperation in electricity purchases with Laos beyond 2025, the Vietnam Investment Review reported recently.
Addressing a recent meeting to review the rollout of key projects by the state-run Electricity of Vietnam (EVN), Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh asked the group to take steps to prevent power shortages.
Vietnam’s electricity shortage was estimated at nearly 10 billion kWh in 2022 and could rise further to about 15 billion kWh in 2023, before gradually decreasing to 7 and 3.5 billion kWh in 2024 and 2025 respectively, according to calculations by the Ministry of Industry and Trade.
Electricity of Vietnam expects that by 2025 Vietnam will buy a minimum of 3,000MW from Laos, increasing to 5,000MW by 2030, following a commitment between the two governments in which power plants in Laos will sell electricity directly to EVN’s grid, the news agency reported.
To increase capacity and buy more electricity from Laos, EVN is accelerating all related processes.
In August, the Nam Mo 220kV transmission line between Laos and the Tuong Duong area, covering 74.4km, will be put into operation, synchronised with the cluster of the Nam Mo hydropower plant. The line will contribute to ensuring electricity supply to Vietnam’s northern region in the coming years.
The Vietnamese government has approved 89 percent of the committed capacity to buy electricity from Laos by 2025, and both sides have signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) until 2025.
EVN has signed 18 PPAs with 23 power projects in Laos. Meanwhile, the Phongsubthavy Group has signed a number of power supply contracts with EVN.
Two transmission lines in Laos are also expected to be completed this year, ensuring electricity supply as committed. Meanwhile, Laos’ state-owned Électricité du Laos is working on connecting the Lao power grid with 27 connection points on Vietnam’s grid.
The export of electricity from Laos to Vietnam is being accelerated.
Dr Nguyen Manh Cuong from the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Institute of Energy predicts that Vietnam will increasingly depend on imported energy.
Previously, Vietnam was importing electricity from Laos at a lower price than it cost to generate. In 2020, the average purchase price of electricity from Laos was 6 US cents per kWh.
In the same year, electricity generation in Laos cost almost 8 US cents per kWh.

By Times Reporters
 (Latest Update July 27, 2022)