China, Vietnam public utilities plan 500 MW hydropower project in central Vietnam

Two subsidiaries of public utilities in Vietnam and China plan to jointly build a 500MW hydropower plant in the central province of Quang Tri.

A joint delegation from China Southern Power Grid International (CSGI), under state-owned China Southern Power Grid, and Power Generation Joint Stock Corporation 2 (EVNGENCO2), under state utility Vietnam Electricity (EVN), delivered a project proposal to Quang Tri authorities on Tuesday.

The pumped-storage hydropower project will help improve stability of the national power grid, which would, in turn, facilitate renewable energy projects in the province to transmit more electricity to the grid, the delegation informed local officials.

Quang Tri Vice Chairman Ha Sy Dong welcomed the proposal and asked relevant agencies to cooperate with the firms in carrying out surveys and research for the project.

He said provincial authorities were committed to providing preferential policies and facilitate the firms in completing the needed procedures.

Quang Tri holds high potential for energy, including wind power, solar power, hydropower, LNG-fired power and offers various support for energy development, Dong added.

The province currently has 19 wind power, three solar power, and 10 hydropower projects connected to the national grid and under commercial operation with a total capacity of 1,090.7 MW. It also has 22 projects under construction that are part of the latest national power development plan VIII (PDP VIII).

In line with the PDP VIII, Quang Tri has proposed that the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Industry and Trade add 16,000 MW of electricity generation capacity to the province’s plan. This includes 4,600 of land-based wind power, 2,600 MW of offshore wind power, 1,600 MW of solar power, 4,500 of LNG-fired power, 2,500 MW of pumped-storage hydropower and 210 MW of biomass power and waste-to-power.