Northern Vietnam power grid expansion and stability efforts

Vietnam's National Power Transmission Corporation (EVNNPT) and Northern Power Corporation (EVNNPC) are expanding energy infrastructure to manage rising electricity demand in Northern Vietnam.

Efforts to accelerate grid projects include the 220 kV Than Uyen - 500 kV Lao Cai transmission line, which involves 160 tower positions. While construction is underway, the project faces challenges such as forest land procedures, site clearance, and heavy rainfall. Regional load pressure is high, with peak capacity approaching 30,000 MW. Areas like Bac Ninh, Hai Phong, Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa, and Phu Tho face risks of local overloading. In Bac Ninh, where peak capacity is projected to increase significantly, the 500 kV Bac Ninh substation is targeted for completion by the second quarter of 2027.

Supply pressures are compounded by delays in new power generation projects. According to Nguyen Quoc Trung of the National Load Dispatch Center (NSMO), the region is a “hotspot for supply concerns” as 500 kV transmission lines operate near safety limits and large-scale LNG and thermal projects face investment and contract hurdles. Demand is highly sensitive to temperature, with peaks occurring between 21:00 and 23:00 after solar production has ceased.

To stabilize the grid, EVNNPC is deploying Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). Following the commissioning of a 5 MW/10 MWh system at the Phuc Son 110 kV substation in Ninh Binh, BESS is being utilized in industrial hubs like Bac Ninh to store energy during low-demand periods and discharge it during peak hours. This supports a broader plan to deploy 305 MW/610 MWh of storage capacity across 47 substations in eight provinces.