Power shortages

Ca Mau (VNA) - More than 44,500 ha of forest in the Mekong Delta province of Ca Mau is at high risk of catching fire due to a prolonged hot spell and drought , according to the forest ranger division under the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. Over 7,230 ha is at the extreme fire danger level - the fifth and highest, while 17,650 ha is at the fourth level, of high danger, the division said on April 8. Hot and dry weather has caused water levels to drop in canals, and as a result there will be a shortage of water resources for fire prevention and fighting during this year’s dry season, it added. A majority of forests facing high and extreme fire danger are in the U Minh Ha National Park and the communes of Nguyen Phich, Khanh An, Khanh Lam and Khanh Thuan in U Minh district, and on Hon Khoai Island. Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Le Quan has requested that the local Department of Agriculture and Rural Development strengthen forest fire prevention measures and speed up the installation of AI-powered security cameras in forests. By the end of this dry season, or early June, the forest ranger division will deploy personnel on all day-and-night watches of forests, in order to promptly deal with any emergencies./. VNA …

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GE's latest 9HA.02 turbine is accelerating the shift to LNG After a wave of investment in solar and wind power over the past two years, Vietnam is now witnessing strong interest in the field of electricity generated with the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG). A report by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) published in January stated that Vietnam has quickly become one of the most promising LNG import markets in Asia, and many domestic and international investors have expressed their desire to pursue projects in the country. They are encouraged by changes in government management that no longer sees coal-fired thermal power as the centre of the power system, as well as the rapid growth of renewable energy in the nation’s power structure. As such, investors have actively portrayed LNG as a cleaner source to replace coal and argue that gas-fired power units will be one of the main power sources required to feed public demand and supplement unstable renewable sources. The IEEFA report also stated, “Vietnam’s electricity industry has never seen a wave of investors expressing so much interest as they do now, that – with the accompanying diplomatic pressure – remains unprecedented in the country’s history.” Interest in LNG power may also be related to Resolution No.55/NQ-BCT on the orientation of Vietnam’s National Power Development Plan (PDP8), which emphasises the rapid development of LNG thermal power plants. However, at the same time, experts advise that priority must be given to developing LNG import and distribution infrastructures. According to the nation’s target until 2030, Vietnam must import 8 billion cubic metres of LNG per year, while the current rate is zero. The focus on LNG power generation is also attributed to its advantages, such as ensuring a stable power supply and minimising the impacts on the environment. “The third draft of the PDP8 for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2045, is proposing to …

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Dang Quyet Tien, Director of the Department of Corporate Finance from the Ministry of Finance , mentions shortcomings in the current law on the investment of State capital in production and business in enterprises. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - The law on managing the use of State capital invested in an enterprise's manufacturing has revealed shortcomings, according to the Ministry of Finance (MoF). Dang Quyet Tien, Director of the Department of Corporate Finance from the MoF, told a workshop held between the ministry and the World Bank (WB) in Hanoi on April 7 that: “The Law No 69/2014/QH13 created a legal corridor for the investment of State capital in production and business in enterprises with incentive mechanisms and policies that have improved the country's investment, however, there are still shortcomings seen over the past five years.” Tien mentioned some problems, including different understandings on State investment in enterprises and a lack of clarity on the matter in related laws, which lead to difficulties in implementation. “It is necessary to collect comments, analyse and propose amendments and supplements to the law to continue to improve policies accordingly," he said. Proposing the content to be revised, Dr. Le Dang Doanh said the new law should define the scope of the State's investment and the field of equitisation. “Equitisation should be done carefully with strategic shareholders in the board of directors, improving corporate governance quality and solving land-related problems in equitisation," Doanh said. “State-owned enterprises (SOEs) management needs to be reformed according to market principles," he added. He said the State should still manage and supervise its capital but also avoid too much administrative intervention and human resource intervention in enterprises, adding there was a need for transparency in SOEs management according to international standards. Nguyen Thuong Lang from the National …

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