Electricity has become more important than ever as extreme heat took its toll on northern Vietnam.
Despite recent improvements to the power supply system in Hanoi, power cuts remain a problem for local residents during periods of high demand.
Statistics reveal that the total amount of power consumed in the Vietnamese capital has broken its own record on consecutive days.
Citizens in Xuan Dinh Ward, Bac Tu Liem District, were informed of a scheduled blackout between 5:00 pm and 7:00 pm on Monday evening, facilitating renovation to the local power supply line.
Despite the reason, residents were upset by the prolonged power cut as they, and especially their children, could not bear the heat without the help of air conditioning.
In Dich Vong Ward in Cau Giay District, locals have complained about a sudden power cut in the middle of the night for nearly an hour, disturbing their sleep.
Citizens in Yen Xa Village, Thanh Tri District, have also been angered by frequent blackouts as tempratures soar.
According to Vietnam Electricity (EVN), power usage in Hanoi and other northern provinces has repeatedly reached record highs, due to the hike in demand during the extreme heat, accompanied by the increase in production at local factories.
The situation had been foreseen, however, the firm said, adding that improvements made to the power supply system had alleviated the frequency of power cuts amid rising demand.
Customer service offices of local power companies recorded a total of 1,179 phone calls in Hanoi alone and 13,509 in other localities in northern Vietnam, between June 1 and 3.
Most of the calls were to complain about power cuts in local neighborhoods.
A representative from EVN attributed the blackouts to power overload, explaining that any sudden rise in power consumption will cause problems in some locations.
The firm has mobilized extra personnel to deal quickly with any issues related to the power supply system, especially overnight, in an attempt to ensure electricity is returned to local residents as soon as possible in the event of any blackout.
A record-breaking heat wave again hit northern Vietnam late last week, with temperatures in some locations exceeding 40 degrees Celsius.
The extreme weather was forecast to remain until Tuesday before a drop in temperature occurred.
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