Electricity consumption declined by 2 billion kWh over the past nine months, accounting for 2.19 percent of commercial electricity output, Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) reported.

This reduction is attributable to EVN's cooperation with the media to increase awareness of electricity conservation.

Power companies launched a number of campaigns and programmes, such as the Power Saving Family, Power Saving Streets, and Power Saving Schools to encourage households, enterprises and agencies to use energy sparingly and efficiently.

Numerous conferences and discussion rounds were organised at schools and businesses to explore power saving solutions.

Additionally, EVN’s power saving programme for the 2014-2015 period included replacing incandescent bulbs with compact alternatives, and jointly organising electricity saving campaigns with the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union.

EVN’s Southern Power Corporation plans to pilot the ESCO model, installing solar water heater systems for its largest customers towards the end of 2014.

From January to September, EVN’s Southern Power Corporation and Ho Chi Minh City Power Corporation (EVN HCMC) took the lead in saving electricity, with the decline in consumption accounting for more than 2.5 percent of their commercial electricity output.-VNA