Report Power Outages Disrupt Life in Ho Chi Minh City Again

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Photo courtesy of VN Express

 

Ho Chi Minh City faced another wave of blackouts on Thursday evening, marking the second major disruption in just two days and impacting both daily life and business operations in the bustling metropolis.

 

At around 7:30 p.m., several wards in the former districts 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, and 10 were plunged into darkness. This included areas in Ban Co Ward, where Thanh, who runs a local eatery, was caught off guard during her busiest hours.

 

“It’s been ages since this area experienced a blackout,” Thanh lamented. “Customers left because they couldn’t wait, and we lost significant revenue.” She echoed a sentiment felt widely as locals found their evening routines thwarted and businesses struggling to cope.

 

Beyond the inconvenience to eateries and shops, the outage led to traffic chaos. Intersections without functioning traffic lights quickly became congested, compounding the frustration of city dwellers.

 

Luan Quoc Hung, deputy general director of the Ho Chi Minh City Power Corporation (EVNHCMC), attributed the blackout to an unusual technical malfunction. Fortunately, the issue was promptly addressed, restoring power within approximately half an hour.

 

This incident followed closely on the heels of a similar outage on 30th July, when parts of the former districts 3, 4, and 10 endured a sudden blackout just before noon. The cause of that outage was traced to an abnormal occurrence at a 220kV substation in the former District 8, prompting EVNHCMC to issue a public apology.

 

These power disruptions have emerged as HCMC expands its jurisdictional footprint by absorbing the Binh Duong and Ba Ria–Vung Tau provinces. As a result, EVNHCMC has taken over responsibility for electricity supply throughout this enlarged area, introducing new logistical and technical challenges.

 

The recent spate of outages has put pressure on EVNHCMC to ensure the reliability of the city’s power infrastructure amid its growing demands. The utility company's swift response to the technical glitch underscores their commitment to maintaining services, yet the repeated incidents highlight the difficulties that come with managing increased operational complexity.

 

For residents and businesses in these wards, the disruptions serve as a stark reminder of the critical role that a stable power supply plays in urban life. As HCMC continues to evolve, the city's resilience in the face of such challenges will be key to sustaining its rapid development.

 

Residents and business owners alike hope that these back-to-back outages will spur improvements in the city's energy infrastructure, ensuring that such interruptions become a rarity rather than a regular obstacle.

 

The financial losses from Thursday’s blackout are still being calculated, but the immediate economic impact is clear. For Thanh, the owner of the eatery, the revenue loss translates to thousands of Thai Baht—not just a dent in her earnings, but also a missed opportunity to serve her loyal patrons with the culinary delights for which she is known.

 

As the city moves forward, the focus will likely shift towards enhancing the robustness of its power grid, ensuring that its reputation as a dynamic urban centre remains unblemished and its residents confident in their everyday comforts.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from VN Express 2025-08-01