It already negotiated with a Chinese power company in Yunnan Province to buy a large quantity of electrical power in the fourth quarter of 2009 and the first six months of 2010. In addition, power supply from the south will be transmitted to the north.

At present, some 35 million kWh of electricity is transmitted a day on the 500kV transmission line from the south to the north. EVN said there had been little rain in the north since September this year, and water flow into the reservoirs of hydropower stations was only equal to between 40 and 60 percent compared with last year.

It is estimated that power demand for the dry season next year will be more than 16 percent higher than in 2007.