Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Do Thang Hai said at the government regular meeting on December 3 that the ministry has drafted four scenarios including high power consumption, normal consumption, enough water for hydropower plants, and water shortage in building power price schemes. 

Supporting a possible price hike, Hai said that Vietnam Electricity (EVN) under the the ministry’s umbrella suffered a loss of VND2.2 trillion (US$96.4 million) in 2017. 

He said the ministry will work out the power prices taking into consideration the impacts that the power price hike may cause to economic growth, gross domestic product (GDP), consumer price index (CPI), and large power consumers as well. 

According to him, the power output for 2019 would range from 242 to 243.5 billion kWh and the ministry might mobilize additional 2-7 billion kWh from diesel-generated sources with high prices. But the top mission is to ensure sufficient electricity for 2019, he affirmed. 

Relating to the issue, media has repeatedly mentioned the possibility of power shortage in 2019 after EVN claimed that its power plants were working below maximum capacity due to insufficient water and thin coal supply. 

Meanwhile, Vietnam National Coal-Mineral Industries Holding Corporation (Vinacomin) blamed EVN for signing short-term purchasing contracts which are leaving Vinacomin passive in supplying.