Power outages threaten Vietnam's industry

[phantom power]

Hanoi - A rash of blackouts threatens to hurt Vietnamese export industries, and authorities are unsure when the power outages will end, business executives and officials said Monday.

The power shortage is caused by droughts that have reduced hydroelectric capacity, as well as rapidly rising demand and inefficient use of energy.

"They cut off our electricity at least one day every week," said Pham Thi Lieu, chief executive officer of MSA-HAPRO Company, an export garment firm.

...

Electric production capacity is growing at 13 to 15 per cent per year, with new power plants coming on line every month. But demand is projected to grow by about 10 per cent per year through 2030.

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/328905,outages-threaten-vietnams-industry.html