A third of the street lights in the capital have been switched off after11pm every night from April to at least June as part of a power-savingscheme, said deputy director of the Public Lighting Management CompanyNguyen Ngoc Chien.
The switch off is partlyconducted by automatic timing devices which were installed in one-tenthof all control stations in 2005. In the remaining stations, electriciansuse single-phase electricity, instead of three-phase electricity, hesaid.
"These methods will be applied to 2,000km ofstreets, saving 40 to 50 percent of power," Chien told theEnglish-language daily Vietnam News on April 18.
Chairman of the municipal People's Committee Nguyen The Thao alsorequested lighting systems in parks to operate at half capacity.
Every office is being required to turn off their power system afterwork hours, to make best use of natural lighting and ventilation andonly use air-conditioners when necessarily applicable, with thermostatsset to at least 25 degrees Celsius.
The HanoiElectricity Company will compile a report on energy consumption andcompare them with figures from the same period last year to determinewhether energy efficiency savings of 10 percent will be achieved.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade will take responsibility forpunishing offices that fail to comply with the saving-power scheme.
It is forecast that this will be a tough year for the power sector. Aprolonged drought is likely to result in insufficient water being ableto power hydro-electric turbines./.
