Vietnam’s Factories Boost Operations as Power Shortages Ease

Severe power shortages in northern Vietnam are beginning to ease, allowing manufacturers to extend operating hours after blackouts curtailed production.

Thousands of factories in the region, which houses plants owned by Samsung Electronics Co. and suppliers to iPhone-maker Apple Inc., have gone without sufficient power since nationwide outages began last month. Northern provinces, including Bac Giang, have been worst hit by the crisis, after searing heat cut the supply of hydropower at a time of low coal supplies and failures at outdated power plants.