EVN required to come up with solutions to accelerate progress of the projects to ensure power supply for the economy. (Source: evntelecom.com.vn)The message was conveyed on June 21 by a working group ledby the Government Office’s Vice Chairman Nguyen Cao Luc.
Luc said that in May, the PM requested the working group toimplement check-ups on some State-owned groups, including the EVN, on carryingout their assigned tasks. In addition, the working group will review theimplementation of the PM’s Directive No.24 on key solutions to achieve thegrowth rate target of 6.7 percent this year.
EVN was urged to ensure electricity supply for the economyin general and the southern region in particular to avoid power shortages, andneeded to report measures undertaken to achieve the set targets.
“Ensuring power supply has been one of solutions put forwardto meet the economy’s growth rate target. However, there has been someoverloading of the power supply in 2017, causing instability for the system’soperation. In the four days of extremely hot weather at the beginning of lastmonth, there were up to 12,632 calls to EVN’s call centre relating to poweroutages. EVN should have solutions to prevent such a situation,” he added.
The PM’s message also noted that the group should review itsoperations at hydropower plants and flood spillways to avoid adverse effects onpeople downstream.
In addition, the group’s investment in some projects that are part of the Vietnam PowerDevelopment Master Plan VII have been delayed due to difficulties in arrangingcapital and construction administration.
EVN was required to come up with solutions to accelerateprogress of the projects to ensure power supply for the economy.
Figures from EVN’s integrated financial report in 2015showed that the group held the leading position in term of debts in comparisonwith other State-owned groups and corporations. Its loans have been mostlyguaranteed by the Government. A report from the Ministry of Finance revealedthat EVN in 2015 borrowed an additional 2 billion USD, increasing theGovernment guarantee level for the group to 49.7 billion USD so far.
“EVN should enhance capital utilisation effectiveness whilediversifying loans in foreign currencies to reduce exchange rate risks. Thegroup should report on solutions to reduce direct and indirect spending,” thevice chairman said.
EVN was assigned 153 tasks from the Government and the PMfrom October 1, 2016 to June 10, 2017. Of which, 129 tasks were completed while24 are still to be implemented.
The group therefore should put forward measures to ensurethe progress of the assigned tasks.
Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Nguyen Trong Thua said thatthe production and business efficiency of the group is not high; therefore, ithas to apply high technology to reduce its costs for production and business.
EVN should also have more measures to attract high-qualityhuman resources, Thua added.
EVN Chairman Duong Quang Thanh said the group pledges tosupply enough power for socio-economic development in the remaining months of2017 with the growth rate of at least 13.4 percent to reach the yearly targetof 11.5 percent.-VNA
