The activities are being implemented in the context of increasing electricity consumption, especially during the peak dry season of 2025, to ensure the safe and continuous operation of the power transmission system in the southern central and Central Highlands regions, particularly during the 2025 dry season.
Currently, PTC3 manages and operates more than 2,400 km of 500kV transmission lines, nearly 3,700 km of 220kV transmission lines, 6 500kV substations, and 21 220kV substations, with a transformer capacity of 17,248 MVA across nine provinces in the southern central and Central Highlands regions. To fulfil the mission of ensuring safe, stable, and efficient power supply operations in 2025, since the fourth quarter of 2024, PTC3 has directed its subordinate units to review and develop specific plans to continue implementing solutions to prevent and reduce incidents, minimise energy losses, and enhance the reliability of the power grid system.
According to Huynh Quang Thinh, Head of PTC3 Technical Department, for the peak dry months of 2025 (from April to July each year), PTC3’s subordinate units must complete detailed operational plans and technical solutions, ensuring readiness before March 31. These include reviewing and supplementing spare materials and equipment, proactively transferring resources to meet repair and replacement demands when necessary, ensuring readiness for handling unexpected situations; completing maintenance and addressing existing equipment issues; strengthening on-duty shifts, inspections, and reviews of the managed power grid to promptly detect and handle any abnormalities, minimising the risk of incidents or equipment shutdowns.
Additionally, PTC3 is enhancing coordination with both internal and external units in the electricity sector to improve power outage scheduling efficiency, minimising maintenance and repair activities that may affect power supply and generation capacity, particularly during the peak dry season from April to July 2025 in the northern region and from March to May 2025 in the southern region.
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Nighttime power outage for equipment maintenance at the 500kV Vinh Tan substation. (Photo: PTC3) |
In the areas managed by PTC3, some provinces, such as Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan, experience year-round hot weather, with extreme heat from March to May each year. These areas have also seen significant growth in renewable energy sources (solar and wind power). Therefore, ensuring the safe operation of the power transmission grid during hot seasons is critically important for energy security and the economic and social development of the region.
Nguyen Van Phong, Deputy Director of Binh Thuan Power Transmission, stated that in the first three months of 2025, the unit carried out 17 power outage operations (7 nighttime and 10 daytime outages) to address ten points of conductor wear maintenance, repair 20 thermal points on the power grid, inspect and maintain circuit breakers and substations to promptly address potential risks of incidents.
Additionally, the unit collaborated on two scheduled power outage operations with
Power Transmission Company 4. Including one high-pressure water hotline cleaning operation for insulators at 27 positions along the 220kV Phan Ri-Hong Phong-Phan Thiet transmission line. Binh Thuan Power Transmission has applied technology to manage power grid operations, improving labour productivity, especially in cases where maintenance work can only be performed at night.
Moreover, the unit has cleared over 406,000 square meters of vegetation along the 220kV and 500kV transmission corridors to prevent fire hazards, conducted thermal inspections at all joints and conductor contacts and reviewed phase-to-ground clearances at crossing points with roads and railways. The unit has also increased the use of flycams (UAVs) for equipment inspections.
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Hotline high-pressure water cleaning of insulators on the 220kV Phan Ri-Hong Phong-Phan Thiet transmission line. (Photo: PTC3) |
In contrast to the climate of the southern central coastal provinces, the Central Highlands region is currently at the end of the dry season and transitioning into the rainy season (dry season from October to April, rainy season from May to September). The weather is dry and hot, and power demand is typically high.
According to Phan Dinh Thien, Director of Dak Nong Power Transmission, the province is experiencing transitional weather, leading to unpredictable conditions. Therefore, enhancing the inspection and maintenance of equipment on the power grid, particularly on 500kV transmission lines and substations, is crucial.
Additionally, the unit is urgently implementing inspection and maintenance measures to prepare for the rainy season, such as clearing drainage systems and inspecting foundation reinforcements at landslide-prone positions along the 220kV and 500kV transmission lines.
As of early April 2025, Dak Nong Power Transmission has conducted insulator cleaning, addressed grounding contact issues on the 500kV 572/Dak Nong-574/Cau Bong transmission line (section from TBA 500kV Dak Nong-3015), inspected U-bolt accessories and electrical components on the 220kV 272/T500 Dak Nong-271/T220 Dak Nong transmission line, and maintained electrical components on the 572/Pleiku-574/Dak Nong line (section 2738-TBA 500kV Dak Nong). The unit has also inspected and serviced electrical equipment on the 574/Pleiku 2-572/Chon Thanh transmission line (section 337-573), as well as maintained and addressed issues on the 272/Buon Tua Srah-274/Dak Nong line (section 120-106-01-152). Additionally, over 321,000 square meters of vegetation have been cleared to prevent fires, trees and shoots in 93 transmission spans have been trimmed, and over 115 rubber trees outside the corridor have been pruned or compensated for removal.
With these ongoing initiatives, PTC3 continues to enhance the reliability of power supply despite extreme weather conditions during the dry season, meeting the economic and social development needs of localities and the daily lives of residents.
