Nghe An Electricity talks about high electricity bills

Demand for electricity increased sharply

August this year recorded quite extreme and contrasting weather developments. During the period from August 1 to August 23, many areas across the country, especially in Nghe An province, experienced prolonged heat waves. Daytime temperatures in many places exceeded 37-39 degrees Celsius, sometimes reaching 40 degrees Celsius, accompanied by low humidity and hot, dry foehn winds.

According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, the cause of this phenomenon is the influence of the low pressure area in the West combined with the foehn wind effect, causing temperatures to rise and forming widespread heat waves.

Meanwhile, the last days of August saw heavy rain and storms. From August 24 onwards, the weather changed significantly due to the influence of storm No. 5 (Kajiki) and a tropical depression operating in the East Sea. Many localities in the Central region had rain.

During the hot weather at the beginning of the month, the demand for cooling devices such as air conditioners and electric fans increased dramatically. Many households had to use air conditioners almost day and night to cope with the hot weather, leading to increased electricity consumption.

According to the Nghe An Electricity Company's Control Room, electricity consumption during the peak hot days of August reached its peak. In particular, the heat wave occurred from August 2 to August 14, during which the maximum capacity was always above 1,000 MW, the daily output was always approximately 20 to 21 million kWh, an increase of 45.8% over the same period in 2024 (the average daily output in 2024 was 14.4 million kWh). Peak capacity occurred on August 4: Pmax = 1,147 MW. Peak output occurred on August 5: A max day = 21,989,658 kWh. This resulted in the electricity bills of many households in August also "increasing" significantly compared to previous months.

Mr. Pham Van Nga - Deputy Director of Nghe An Power Company said: “We have recorded a record level of electricity consumption during the heat wave in early August. Currently, Nghe An Power Company uses an electronic power metering system, which is highly transparent and accurate. The meter reading schedule is published on the website, the leaders approve it to put it into the management software and notify customers, the way to calculate electricity prices is public and transparent according to EVN's regulations. After recording meter readings, for customers whose output increases or decreases by 30% compared to the previous month, Nghe An Power Company will re-check the readings. For customers whose output suddenly increases, the company will conduct an inspection with the customer to find out the cause. In particular, after storms and floods, the situation of short circuits and short circuits occurring behind customers' meters is quite common. Nghe An Power Company has coordinated with customers to organize specific inspections and timely handling. For cases caused by natural disasters, the Electricity industry has solutions. support according to the regulations directed by the industry. Nghe An Electricity Company hopes to receive support from the people, to use electricity economically and reasonably, especially in the context of increasingly extreme weather due to climate change".

Recommendations from authorities

The meteorological agency forecasts that the unusual weather trend will continue in September and the remaining months of the year. Therefore, people are advised to:

Nghe An Electricity Company recommends that people increase the application of electricity saving solutions to help reduce high electricity costs such as: Turning off electrical equipment when not in use; Prioritizing the use of electrical equipment with energy saving labels; Using air conditioners at reasonable temperatures (about 26-28 degrees Celsius) combined with fans; Do not use high-capacity electrical equipment at the same time; Limiting the use of electricity during peak hours; Taking advantage of natural light and ventilation, avoiding overuse of electricity; In particular, encouraging people to install rooftop solar power systems.

To protect their rights and control spending, each organization, individual, and household should proactively check and monitor daily and monthly electricity consumption, avoiding sudden increases in electricity bills without understanding the reason, by simply installing EVNNPC's customer care app, monitoring electricity consumption, estimating daily electricity bills, and promptly adjusting accordingly.

The heat in Nghe An not only affects people’s health but also increases their living expenses, especially electricity bills. Being proactive in adapting and using electricity wisely is necessary to reduce the burden of spending and ensure safety during the long hot season.