Heatwave strain on Vietnam power grid could get worse, industry ministry says

A heatwave gripping Vietnam has already placed immense pressure on the national power grid, the country's industry ministry said, adding the problem could get worse as the El Nino weather pattern is forecast to return from July.

Temperatures in northern Vietnam have hovered around 40 degrees Celsius (104°F) for days. Residents in the capital, Hanoi, have reported sleepless nights caused by power cuts in several districts, as abnormal electricity demand strained the grid.

There is substantial uncertainty over its strength, but the U.S. Climate Prediction Center has said there is an 82% probability of El Nino, a warming of the ocean surface that raises the risk of droughts and heatwaves, developing during May-July 2026.

In a statement, Vietnam's industry ministry said there was a risk from July onwards of "prolonged heatwaves, droughts, and a decrease in water levels in hydroelectric reservoirs".

TEMPORARY RELIEF FROM EXTREME HEAT

In the immediate term, meteorologists have forecast that the heatwave will begin to ease from Thursday, bringing some relief after days of extreme temperatures.

"We experienced power cuts three times last night, each lasting at least 40 minutes," Nguyen Nhat Quang, a 35-year-old Hanoi resident, told Reuters by phone. "If the situation continues this evening, we'll need to rent a hotel so my kids can sleep without interruption."

State utility EVN said on its official Facebook account that there were no planned power cuts and that it would ensure a stable power supply. It did not immediately respond to a Reuters' request for comment on power outages.

The industry ministry said electricity consumption has hit new daily peaks since May 23. Demand has surged late in the evening, when the power system comes under the greatest strain as solar power is no longer available and low water levels at many small hydropower reservoirs limit generation capacity.

"If it continues, it will be unbearable. Being outside now feels suffocating," said Pham Thi Ha, a 50-year-old street vendor in Hanoi.

Vietnam relies heavily on coal-fired power plants and hydropower dams for electricity, making the power system vulnerable to rising fuel costs and low reservoir levels.

The situation has been aggravated as the Iran war has led to unprecedented energy supply disruption and international oil price LCOc1 peaks well above $120 a barrel last month.

EVN has urged households and businesses to reduce power consumption, especially in the northern regions where supplies are more at risk.

-Reporting by Phuong Nguyen and Thinh Nguyen, additional reporting by Khanh Vu; editing by Barbara Lewis/Reuters