Power Cuts in Vung Tau

colinoscapee wrote:

sanooku wrote:

colinoscapee wrote:

...
Trust me, they do get power cuts on PCT.

only occasionally - as posters currently living there have confirmed.

Even then they last 5 seconds/minutes, not 8+ hours.

We had powercuts there last year that lasted 9 hours.

Yes. I've lived on Hem 84 PCT for almost two years and can confirm we've had several 'all day' power cuts. Usually these are scheduled from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. However, the power can go off any time from 7:50 to 9:00 am and come back on any time between 4:00 to 6:00 pm.

The unscheduled power cuts can be any time of day and last from a few seconds to eight or nine hours... or more if there's a strong tropical storm that is only a couple of km/hr short of being classified as a typhoon - like Usagi last November.

It's Vietnam. You never know what's going to happen. 

cruisemonkey wrote:

....
Yes. I've lived on Hem 84 PCT for almost two years and can confirm we've had several 'all day' power cuts. Usually these are scheduled from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. However, the power can go off any time from 7:50 to 9:00 am and come back on any time between 4:00 to 6:00 pm.

The unscheduled power cuts can be any time of day and last from a few seconds to eight or nine hours... or more if there's a strong tropical storm that is only a couple of km/hr short of being classified as a typhoon - like Usagi last November.
.....

Sounds like your PCT experience is somewhat different to your 'neighbour' who lives on the same street. Although, I presume she may not be living on a side street (like you) or perhaps on a side street but on a different part of PCT  (See post #13):

On PCT, our last power outage was supposed to be in May but was cancelled, so the last actual cut was in March.

She has not had a power cut since March. Could be that the PCT main street ( as opposed to hems) is less affected.

I suppose the pizza oven at Luca Pizza and Italian Restaurant needs electricity to run, and those expats/foreign tourists at Belly's bar watching sport would be so sad even if the power is off for 5 seconds.

sanooku wrote:

cruisemonkey wrote:

....
Yes. I've lived on Hem 84 PCT for almost two years and can confirm we've had several 'all day' power cuts. Usually these are scheduled from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. However, the power can go off any time from 7:50 to 9:00 am and come back on any time between 4:00 to 6:00 pm.

The unscheduled power cuts can be any time of day and last from a few seconds to eight or nine hours... or more if there's a strong tropical storm that is only a couple of km/hr short of being classified as a typhoon - like Usagi last November.
.....

Sounds like your PCT experience is somewhat different to your 'neighbour' who lives on the same street. Although, I presume she may not be living on a side street (like you) or perhaps on a side street but on a different part of PCT  (See post #13):

On PCT, our last power outage was supposed to be in May but was cancelled, so the last actual cut was in March.

She has not had a power cut since March. Could be that the PCT main street ( as opposed to hems) is less affected.

I suppose the pizza oven at Luca Pizza and Italian Restaurant needs electricity to run, and those expats/foreign tourists at Belly's bar watching sport would be so sad even if the power is off for 5 seconds.

Have you heard of an invention called a generator.

colinoscapee wrote:

....
Have you heard of an invention called a generator.

No. Not until I arrived in Vietnam. 

Another long one from 08:00 to 16:00 couple of days ago. But at least this one we had notice beforehand. Hotel manager messaged me about 4 days beforehand to warn. He must have received warning from power company or checked their website (seems it's back in business with a revamped website showing current (pun intended) and future power cuts).

Also, when i called him at around 16:20 that day, the power had returned. So, seems power company stuck to the time scales.

Thang Tham district had a long one today from 05:30 to !7:45. Someone said other areas were affected as well but I didn't confirm.

johnross23 wrote:

Thang Tham district had a long one today from 05:30 to !7:45. Someone said other areas were affected as well but I didn't confirm.

We had a cut from 4am till 6pm, terrible.

johnross23 wrote:

Thang Tham district had a long one today from 05:30 to !7:45. Someone said other areas were affected as well but I didn't confirm.

colinoscapee wrote:

We had a cut from 4am till 6pm, terrible.

We've had only 3 interruptions this year, all of them were in the first 3 months of the year.  Eight months straight without any problem so far, may turn out to be a record.

Ciambella wrote:

johnross23 wrote:

Thang Tham district had a long one today from 05:30 to !7:45. Someone said other areas were affected as well but I didn't confirm.

colinoscapee wrote:

We had a cut from 4am till 6pm, terrible.

We've had only 3 interruptions this year, all of them were in the first 3 months of the year.  Eight months straight without any problem so far, may turn out to be a record.

Hmmm...

There were two "interruptions" yesterday, but both lasted less than a minute: one very early in the morning and one just after dark.

I wouldn't have noticed the first one, except it reset my AC units.

I was awake for the second one, just finished cooking dinner. It knocked out the lights and reset (turned off) AC

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

I wouldn't have noticed the first one, except it reset my AC units.

I was awake for the second one, just finished cooking dinner. It knocked out the lights and reset (turned off) AC

I only noticed the second one, but it lasted only a few seconds and didn't disrupt anything.  We didn't have the lights or AC on, only the router needed to be reset.

Overall, I think this particular part of PCT is among the most stable in the city, electricity wise.  Touch wood.

Two power outages yesterday, the first happened early morning. No idea how long it lasted. woke up sweating at around 6:30 am. The A/C had turned itself off. Tried to turn it back on with the remote I keep by the bedside and it turned on. That's how come I say no idea how long it lasted.

Again, yesterday evening, soon as I had finished cooking and sat down to eat. How lucky. Power returned after about 15 minutes.

p.s. does anyone know if all modern a/c's turns themselves off after a power outage? is there any way of disabling this? I'm pretty sure I've come across older A/c units that turn on when the power returns. (As would a light if you hadn't switched it off manually)

I can understand the need to have this automatic shut off. i.e. saves electric if you leave the house or apartment and the power returns while you are out. But we have a separate switch for the a/c in every apartment especially for this.

You know it happens not even to remote location, but also to recent building.
I live in Vinhomes Central Park in HCMC and I got 7 power cuts at least this year. And I think I got one computer damaged by this actually.

The worst was in the building with smart home, I was out of HCMC for 1 month, and I came back to the apartment where it was freezing!!! All the aircon were on, at lowest value. It was ran like that for 2 weeks... At the power cut, the home system restarted and with the aircon as well (even if they were turned off).

I don't leave anymore in this tower, but I did purchase 2 APC UPS, one to back up my computer + network and another one for the TV with the Apple TV connected to it.

EVN is building more powerplant and is improving their grid, but I guess they got trouble to catch up with the demand.

Power out this morning here in the area of 182 Phan Chu Trinh.

Thankfully my landlord invested in solar power 4 years ago when this beautiful apartment building was built.

Every room (kitchen, both bathrooms, both bedrooms) has at least one overhead light working.

I've found two different electric outlets working.

Using those I'm charging my phone and laptop plus running two floor fans that are keeping a nice breeze circulating through the entire length of my apartment.

I'm pretty sure the refrigerator isn't working, so I'm leaving it shut.

I've got plenty of room-temperature bottled water.

When I lived in Germany for 5 years, I got used to drinking beverages without ice or refrigeration.

Best of all, I can take a nice shower because the water we pay for here has free heating with solar power backup, and it's working nicely this morning.

It helps that it's a beautiful day outside, temperature-wise.

I wonder if the power is on at Belly's?

I've got fresh fruit, cucumbers and tomatoes to eat (cooktop doesn't work) but I might head there for lunch.

Oh, and no WiFi but great data signal here.

For the future, I might purchase a portable induction cooktop.

Scheduled power outage today for us from 08am until 4pm. Now it's 4:30pm but still hasn't come back.

A short 30min-1hour UNSCHEDULED outage last week (around 5:30pm). Also, yesterday morning an UNSCHEDULED one from 2am to 3am.

sanooku wrote:

Scheduled power outage today for us from 08am until 4pm. Now it's 4:30pm but still hasn't come back.

A short 30min-1hour UNSCHEDULED outage last week (around 5:30pm). Also, yesterday morning an UNSCHEDULED one from 2am to 3am.

Power Outage on 27 December: Power came back for brief period soon afterwards, then gone again until 5:40 pm.

Around 07:00pm another short and sweet (ok..not quite sweet) outage lasting about half and hour.

sanooku wrote:

sanooku wrote:

Scheduled power outage today for us from 08am until 4pm. Now it's 4:30pm but still hasn't come back.

A short 30min-1hour UNSCHEDULED outage last week (around 5:30pm). Also, yesterday morning an UNSCHEDULED one from 2am to 3am.

Power Outage on 27 December: Power came back for brief period soon afterwards, then gone again until 5:40 pm.

Around 07:00pm another short and sweet (ok..not quite sweet) outage lasting about half and hour.

On the 27th I only experienced a short, early morning outage at my apartment near 182 Phan Chu Trinh street.

John Ross had warned me about a notice promising short outages in the morning and evening.

By 5:30 PM, I hadn't experienced the second outage, and I walked to Belly's Restaurant at 53a Phan Chu Trinh, to meet up with Wadey and his wife.

The power was off there and I was told it had been out all day.

We ended up heading somewhere else for dinner about an hour later.

I spoke with Belly, and when I reminded him about where I lived, he said that some neighborhoods are somehow protected from long outages through the influence of residents who are also well placed within the government/party.

You seem to be experiencing more severe outages than some of the rest of us living here in Vung Tau, and that MIGHT be largely due to the neighborhood where you have chosen to live.

That sucks...

"I spoke with Belly, and when I reminded him about where I lived, he said that some neighborhoods are somehow protected from long outages through the influence of residents who are also well placed within the government/party."

There is that selective Socialism at work again.

colinoscapee wrote:

"I spoke with Belly, and when I reminded him about where I lived, he said that some neighborhoods are somehow protected from long outages through the influence of residents who are also well placed within the government/party."

There is that selective Socialism at work again.

Everyone is equal but some are more equal than others.

Unscheduled power cut again last night (this morning) 01:15 am to 02:30 am.

Here's the planned power cut schedule for what's left of February:


2/17/2020    08:00-16:00    
30/4 Street (from the new junction to Nguyen Huu Canh), Le Hoan, Truong Han Sieu, Pham Cu Lang, Hai Thuong Lang Ong, Cao Ba Quat, a part of Ho Tri Tan and Luu Chi Hieu streets of Rach Ward Coconut    22kV line: Repair regularly

02/18/2020    08:00-16:00    
Part of Nguyen Huu Canh Street, 30/4 Street in Thang Nhat Ward, Nguyen An Ninh Street (from Pham Hong Thai to Le Loi), Le Loi Street (from Pham Hong Thai to Ben Dinh Market), Tran Quoc Toan Street, Yen Do, Ky Dong, Thang Nhi, Tran Xuan Do, Nguyen Bao, Hoang Viet and Ngu Phu belong to Thang Nhi ward    22kV line: Repair regularly

2/19/2020    08:00-16:00    
Le Van Loc, Nguyen Trung Truc, Tang Bat Ho, Tran Cao Van, Ton That Thuyet, Nguyen Binh, Le Thi Rieng, Nguyen Thi Tap, Tran Quang Dieu and Ton Duc Thang, a part of Ong Ich Khiem and Nguyen Ba Lan streets belongs to Ward 9. Chu Manh Trinh and Le Phung Hieu streets are in ward 8    22kV line: Repair regularly

2/20/2020    08:00-16:00   
3/2 Street (from Tran Binh Trong to Chi Linh Urban Center), part of an alley 456 Binh Gia, alley 442 Binh Gia, Tran Binh Trong street in Nguyen An Ninh ward, Hoang Van Thai street, Nguyen Thi Minh Khai belong to ward 8, Nguyen An Ninh street (from Nguyen An Ninh roundabout to Dau Khi roundabout) of Nguyen An Ninh ward, part of Nguyen Huu Canh street in ward 10    22kV line: Repair regularly

2/21/2020    08:00-16:00   
A part of Tien Cang, Pham Van Dinh and Tran Anh Tong streets is in Thang Nhat ward. Alley 1410, street 30/4 in ward 12    22kV line: Repair regularly

2/24/2020    08:00-16:00   
Part of the 30/4 road on odd number (from Nam Dong T-junction to Ôngo Ong Tu) in Rach Dua Ward, 11, 12. Tue Tinh and Ton Dan Street in Rach Dua Ward    Low voltage line: Repair regularly

2/25/2020    08:00-16:00   
Part of Hoang Hoa Tham street, Nguyen Binh Khiem street, Tran Dong street, Nam Ky Khoi Nghia street of ward 3, Thang Tam ward    22kV line: Repair regularly

2/26/2020    08:00-16:00   
Part of Phan Chu Trinh, Lac Long Quan, Bau Sen 1, 3, 4, 7, Phan Huy Chu and Luong Van Can streets, part of Nguyen Truong To and Dinh Tien Hoang streets in Ward 2    22kV line: Repair regularly

2/27/2020    08:00-16:00   
Part of Hoang Van Thu, Truong Van Bang, Kha Van Can, Trinh Hoai Duc, Nguyen Kiem, part of Nguyen Tri Phuong, Ngo Duc Ke, Xuan Dieu, Nguyen Oanh, Nguyen Kiem, Nguyen Thai Hoc of Ward 7    22kV line: Repair regularly

2/28/2020    11:30-13:30   
Part of Ly Thuong Kiet and Le Lai roads, part of Trung Trac, Trung Nhi, Do Chieu, Ba Cu, Dong Khoi and Ba Trieu streets in ward 1    22kV line: Repair regularly

cruisemonkey wrote:

Here's the planned power cut schedule for what's left of February:


2/17/2020    08:00-16:00    
30/4 Street (from the new junction to Nguyen Huu Canh), Le Hoan, Truong Han Sieu, Pham Cu Lang, Hai Thuong Lang Ong, Cao Ba Quat, a part of Ho Tri Tan and Luu Chi Hieu streets of Rach Ward Coconut    22kV line: Repair regularly

02/18/2020    08:00-16:00    
Part of Nguyen Huu Canh Street, 30/4 Street in Thang Nhat Ward, Nguyen An Ninh Street (from Pham Hong Thai to Le Loi), Le Loi Street (from Pham Hong Thai to Ben Dinh Market), Tran Quoc Toan Street, Yen Do, Ky Dong, Thang Nhi, Tran Xuan Do, Nguyen Bao, Hoang Viet and Ngu Phu belong to Thang Nhi ward    22kV line: Repair regularly

2/19/2020    08:00-16:00    
Le Van Loc, Nguyen Trung Truc, Tang Bat Ho, Tran Cao Van, Ton That Thuyet, Nguyen Binh, Le Thi Rieng, Nguyen Thi Tap, Tran Quang Dieu and Ton Duc Thang, a part of Ong Ich Khiem and Nguyen Ba Lan streets belongs to Ward 9. Chu Manh Trinh and Le Phung Hieu streets are in ward 8    22kV line: Repair regularly

2/20/2020    08:00-16:00   
3/2 Street (from Tran Binh Trong to Chi Linh Urban Center), part of an alley 456 Binh Gia, alley 442 Binh Gia, Tran Binh Trong street in Nguyen An Ninh ward, Hoang Van Thai street, Nguyen Thi Minh Khai belong to ward 8, Nguyen An Ninh street (from Nguyen An Ninh roundabout to Dau Khi roundabout) of Nguyen An Ninh ward, part of Nguyen Huu Canh street in ward 10    22kV line: Repair regularly

2/21/2020    08:00-16:00   
A part of Tien Cang, Pham Van Dinh and Tran Anh Tong streets is in Thang Nhat ward. Alley 1410, street 30/4 in ward 12    22kV line: Repair regularly

2/24/2020    08:00-16:00   
Part of the 30/4 road on odd number (from Nam Dong T-junction to Ôngo Ong Tu) in Rach Dua Ward, 11, 12. Tue Tinh and Ton Dan Street in Rach Dua Ward    Low voltage line: Repair regularly

2/25/2020    08:00-16:00   
Part of Hoang Hoa Tham street, Nguyen Binh Khiem street, Tran Dong street, Nam Ky Khoi Nghia street of ward 3, Thang Tam ward    22kV line: Repair regularly

2/26/2020    08:00-16:00   
Part of Phan Chu Trinh, Lac Long Quan, Bau Sen 1, 3, 4, 7, Phan Huy Chu and Luong Van Can streets, part of Nguyen Truong To and Dinh Tien Hoang streets in Ward 2    22kV line: Repair regularly

2/27/2020    08:00-16:00   
Part of Hoang Van Thu, Truong Van Bang, Kha Van Can, Trinh Hoai Duc, Nguyen Kiem, part of Nguyen Tri Phuong, Ngo Duc Ke, Xuan Dieu, Nguyen Oanh, Nguyen Kiem, Nguyen Thai Hoc of Ward 7    22kV line: Repair regularly

2/28/2020    11:30-13:30   
Part of Ly Thuong Kiet and Le Lai roads, part of Trung Trac, Trung Nhi, Do Chieu, Ba Cu, Dong Khoi and Ba Trieu streets in ward 1    22kV line: Repair regularly

The conspiracy continues with the reason given as 'Repair Regularly'. Not 'load shedding' or 'selling to Cambodia'.

I was informed that feb 26th there will be a powercut  for electrical maintenance from 08.00 untill 17.00. I live in Phan Chu Trinh.

peterandadriana wrote:

I was informed that feb 26th there will be a powercut  for electrical maintenance from 08.00 untill 17.00. I live in Phan Chu Trinh.

Day trip to HCMC! 😎

The cuts you have when you are not supposed to have any.

Note that there was another power cut in our area today.

Came home about 06:30 pm and put the fan on. Noticed it was running slower than usual. Microwave was also turning really slow. Light inside was dim. Would not heat food. Hot plate was also touch and go, sometimes displaying 'E' (for 'error'?)

Neighbour in apartment downstairs said his A/C would not turn on.

Then suddenly, power cut around 07:15pm. It lasted about 1 hour. Good news is fan, microwave, A/C all working fine now.

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

peterandadriana wrote:

I was informed that feb 26th there will be a powercut  for electrical maintenance from 08.00 untill 17.00. I live in Phan Chu Trinh.

Day trip to HCMC! 😎

I don't know what's worse: a day without power in Vung Tau, or a day with power in HCMC.     

Perhaps on the 26th, I'll jump on the motorbike and head up to Mũi Né.

peterandadriana wrote:

I was informed that feb 26th there will be a powercut  for electrical maintenance from 08.00 untill 17.00. I live in Phan Chu Trinh.

If the warning mentioned your address specially, then it'll probably happen, but then again, it may not.  Or the work may happen during the night instead of business hours.

Power cut rarely happens to the entire PCT street on the same day and it happens less frequently to the blocks closer to the beach.  The last *real* power cut (half a day or longer) we experienced on our block was last March, almost a year ago.  Since then, we had some very minor interruptions, all of them lasts only a few minutes.

Ciambella wrote:

peterandadriana wrote:

I was informed that feb 26th there will be a powercut  for electrical maintenance from 08.00 untill 17.00. I live in Phan Chu Trinh.

If the warning mentioned your address specially, then it'll probably happen, but then again, it may not.  Or the work may happen during the night instead of business hours.

Power cut rarely happens to the entire PCT street on the same day and it happens less frequently to the blocks closer to the beach.  The last *real* power cut (half a day or longer) we experienced on our block was last March, almost a year ago.  Since then, we had some very minor interruptions, all of them lasts only a few minutes.

Perhaps you were traveling on this past December 4th?

Scroll up the page and see my note that date.

Power in our block was definitely out for most of the day.

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

Perhaps you were traveling on this past December 4th?

Scroll up the page and see my note that date.

Power in our block was definitely out for most of the day.

Yes, we were in Europe from Nov 29 to Dec 30, then stayed in Saigon for almost a week following the return flight.  Just read your old post now and realized that we missed the only power cut of the year.

As can be seen in post #60 above, the scheduled power cuts for maintenance (repair regularly) only affect a relatively small section of town. So normally, you can just drive 5 minutes to another neighborhood/area and hang out there and/or go to the beach rather than traveling to another city for the day.

So, generally speaking, it's not a very big deal, especially if you know it's coming and get up by 7 am to be able to boil water for coffee and take a hot shower before 8. If you wake up late, you just have to make some "sun tea" and take a cold shower (unless you have solar-heated water like some people).

johnross23 wrote:

As can be seen in post #60 above, the scheduled power cuts for maintenance (repair regularly) only affect a relatively small section of town. So normally, you can just drive 5 minutes to another neighborhood/area and hang out there and/or go to the beach rather than traveling to another city for the day.

So, generally speaking, it's not a very big deal, especially if you know it's coming and get up by 7 am to be able to boil water for coffee and take a hot shower before 8. If you wake up late, you just have to make some "sun tea" and take a cold shower (unless you have solar-heated water like some people).

Agree, but it shouldnt be happening with such regularity. Having only one provider is a big problem, some competition may make them reasses their system.

Educating the locals about the overuse of AC at home and work would also save a lot of power. Changing the style of construction cuold help immenesly. I doubt raising the tariffis would change much, except maybe how much the big boys could skim off.

sanooku wrote:

....Good news is fan, microwave, A/C all working fine now.

Although, power issue did affect an LED lighting strip in my apartment. Lighting in one half of the room simply wouldn't turn on. Manager called an electrician today. He replaced the LED strip with a different one. This one's much dimmer. He removed the LED driver units that were there, showed me, then said they are no longer available (hence the new strip). Manager is now saying it wasn't the drivers that were the issue but the LED bulbs.

As someone said before, if you have important devices (e.g. desktop computers/servers) then a UPS wouldn't go a miss.

Power out this morning near Hem 97, Phan Chu Trinh.

I'm not sure but I think it started about an hour ago.

Fortunately, my landlord has solar power including to the hot water and a few power outlets and lights on in my apartment.

Long power cut today from 08:00 am to 4:10 pm. At least this one was announced well in advance and stuck to the schedule.

Now the power just went out about 6:45 p.m.
near Hem 97 on Phan Chu Trinh

Luckily I've got those solar power battery outlets and lights in my apartment

Wouldn't you think when most of the businesses are shuttered in the country that power consumption would be drastically reduced and hence, no shortage of power.

You can only hope that they are doing due diligence to make sure that everything is perfect when things are back to "normal".

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

Now the power just went out about 6:45 p.m.
near Hem 97 on Phan Chu Trinh

Power company said it would take 2 hours to fix.  Ten minutes later, everything was back to normal.

Ciambella wrote:

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

Now the power just went out about 6:45 p.m.
near Hem 97 on Phan Chu Trinh

Power company said it would take 2 hours to fix.  Ten minutes later, everything was back to normal.

Seems the power company always says '2 hours', and power returns way before more often than not.

The manager of my building relays us messages from power company and his messages always says '2 hours'.

sanooku wrote:

Ciambella wrote:

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

Now the power just went out about 6:45 p.m.
near Hem 97 on Phan Chu Trinh

Power company said it would take 2 hours to fix.  Ten minutes later, everything was back to normal.

Seems the power company always says '2 hours', and power returns way before more often than not.

The manager of my building relays us messages from power company and his messages always says '2 hours'.

Beware.

If they ever say "3 hours"...