Major Electrical Problem

Those travellers who like some electrical power now then and check their emails occasionaly need to be aware of a developing problem throughout Vietnam. I am in Hue but I hear the same from friends in Hanoi. Power is being shut off to the whole city from 4 am to 7 pm on alternate days. We hear it is due to lack of rain last rainy season and consequent unusually low levels in the hydro-electric dams. Story is it will last "all summer" - i.e. several months! Here in Hue there is a seperate grid for those willing to pay the price which includes the more expensive hotels. All the rest, together with restaurents, shops and internet cafes go dark - and will get real hot when this cool spell ends. One lesson I've learned is keep your laptop and cell phone charged as much as you can.

Can others confirm the situation in other cities?

shut down electric between 4 am and 7pm,seperate electric grid?Sounds as if someone is pulling your leg.But I did hear that they were cutting the 1 hr TV shows to 2x1/2 hr shows.And are only filling water glasses 1/2 full.And also eliminating every other word on radio broadcasts in an effort to save energy also .I am personally sleeping 1 extra hour to save energy also.Do your part sleep in

Where in Vietnam are you located Froudel? This is certainly no joke for the people here enduring this. Perhaps you could help them by sleeping in all day.

Hanoi has had some shut downs a various times in various areas. Not as long as you mentionned though.

Not as bad as 1999 when there was a heat wave 40 + degrees and power cuts to boot. So don't sweat it (hee hee hee) Conserve as much as you can. The ones who will really suffer if there isn't rain soon are the farmers.

Wow they have electric grid now? and electricity in the countryside? They must build them real fast then!!!

Anyone know if HCMC is affected? Aren't the power cuts going to have a horrible effect on food storage (refigeration)? Anyone noticing any particularly smelly seafood dishes?!?!

Yeah Hanoi's power has been cut sporadically in the past few days. Sometimes it goes from 8AM - 8PM (at least in my neighborhood haha).

Sometimes it's just a couple of hours.

It's not too bad, except make sure you shower often cuz you never know when the power (and thus the water pump) is gonna go off.

Otherwise, power outages aren't so bad cuz people actually come out of their houses and start talking to each other like good neighbors should.

5 * hotels still have their power on so if you're travelling you can use their wifi coffeeshops for internet and recharging your batteries.

Cheers! :)