Extreme Heat and Blackouts Grip Vietnam as Temperatures Near 40C and Pressure Builds on National Power Grid

Vietnam struggles through suffocating heat and power outages

Northern Vietnam is sweltering beneath an intense and prolonged heatwave that has pushed temperatures close to 40 degrees Celsius, strained the national power grid, and left many residents enduring sleepless nights in the dark.

The heat feels relentless.

In Hanoi, Vietnam, apartment walls remain warm deep into the night while electric fans suddenly stop as neighborhoods lose power under soaring electricity demand. Streets that are normally crowded late into the evening now feel slower beneath the thick, heavy air.

People wait for relief that does not come.

Vietnam’s industry ministry warned that the extreme heat has already placed “immense pressure" on the country’s power system, adding that conditions could become even worse later this summer if the El Nino weather pattern strengthens again from July onward.

Meteorologists say the current heatwave may briefly ease later this week, but officials fear the worst may still be ahead.

Residents describe sleepless nights during repeated blackouts

For many people in Hanoi, the hardest part of the heatwave begins after sunset.

Electricity demand has surged as households across northern Vietnam run air conditioners and fans almost constantly in an attempt to cool overheated homes. But the grid has struggled to keep up.

Power cuts have been reported in several districts of the capital.

“We experienced power cuts three times last night, each lasting at least 40 minutes," said Nguyen Nhat Quang, a 35-year-old resident of Hanoi, speaking to Reuters by phone.

“If the situation continues this evening, we will need to rent a hotel so my kids can sleep without interruption."

Inside many apartments, the heat becomes trapped after dark.

Without fans or air conditioning, rooms quickly turn stifling. Windows remain open through the night while families wait for electricity to return.

Outside, the air feels no better.

“If it continues, it will be unbearable. Being outside now feels suffocating," said Pham Thi Ha, a 50-year-old street vendor in Hanoi.

The heat presses down over the city from morning until long after midnight.

Electricity demand reaches new peaks across Vietnam

Vietnam’s industry ministry said electricity consumption has repeatedly reached new daily records since May 23 as the heatwave intensified.

The greatest pressure arrives late in the evening.

Officials say demand surges after sunset because solar power generation rapidly declines while millions of homes continue using cooling systems during the hottest overnight hours.



At the same time, low water levels in many small hydroelectric reservoirs are limiting electricity production capacity.

Vietnam relies heavily on:

• Coal-fired power plants
• Hydropower dams

That dependence leaves the country vulnerable during periods of extreme heat and drought.

The ministry warned that from July onward there is a growing risk of:

• Prolonged heatwaves
• Drought conditions
• Falling water levels in hydroelectric reservoirs

State utility EVN said there were no planned power cuts and insisted it would maintain stable electricity supplies, although residents in several districts have continued reporting outages.

El Nino threatens to intensify the crisis later this year

Meteorologists are increasingly focused on the possible return of El Nino during the second half of the summer.

The U.S. Climate Prediction Center said there is an 82 percent probability that El Nino conditions could develop between May and July 2026.

El Nino is a large-scale warming of ocean surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean that often increases the risk of:

• Extreme heatwaves
• Drought
• Water shortages

For Vietnam, that combination could place even greater strain on an already stressed energy system.

The industry ministry warned that the return of El Nino may significantly reduce water availability in reservoirs used for hydroelectric generation, especially if dry conditions persist into the second half of the year.

Global energy pressures add to Vietnam’s difficulties

The situation has also been complicated by turbulence in global energy markets.

Officials say the ongoing Iran war has disrupted energy supplies and contributed to international oil prices climbing above 120 dollars per barrel last month.

Rising fuel costs increase pressure on countries that rely heavily on imported energy and fossil fuels to stabilize electricity production during periods of high demand.

Vietnam’s authorities are now urging both households and businesses to reduce electricity consumption whenever possible, particularly in northern regions where the risk to power supplies is greatest.

The request comes as millions continue trying to cool homes and workplaces during one of the hottest stretches of weather the country has experienced this year.

Temporary relief may arrive, but the heat remains dominant

Forecasters say temperatures could begin easing slightly from Thursday, bringing temporary relief after several days of dangerous heat.

But even with a modest cooldown, meteorologists warn that the atmosphere across northern Vietnam will remain unstable and extremely warm heading deeper into summer.

The streets of Hanoi still radiate heat late into the evening.

Generators hum in the distance. Apartment windows stay open through the night. The city waits for cooler air that still feels far away.