Vietnamese cities reduce lighting during power shortage

To save electricity during the heat wave in Vietnam, lights illuminating buildings and streets in Hanoi, Hai Phong, and Da Nang have been turned off or delayed. In Hanoi, lights along central streets were turned on 30 minutes later than usual, while decorative lights and advertisement billboards were dimmed. For four-lane streets, one-third of all lights were left off after 7 p.m., and another one-third were switched off after 11 p.m.

In Hai Phong, the area surrounding the Hai Phong Opera House, the Central Post Office, the city museum, and the lighting system along the Hoang Van Thu Bridge were all dark for three days. Across Vietnam, restaurants, hotels, commercial service establishments, office complexes, and apartment buildings have reduced their outdoor advertising lighting capacity by 50%.

The goal is to save at least 30% of the city’s total public lighting electricity consumption, even during peak tourism season. The El Nino phenomenon, which results in less rain and more heat waves, is causing challenges this summer, with water levels in northern hydropower plants lower than normal. EVN predicted in April that the northern region could see a power shortage of 1,600-4,900 megawatts between May and July.