Chinese companies seek to further partner with Vietnam Electricity

Several Chinese companies met with state utility Vietnam Electricity (EVN) between May 27 and June 12, seeking more cooperation opportunities.

The Chinese firms include Shanghai Electric Group Co., Ltd. (SEC), Baoding Tianwei Baobian Electric Co., Ltd. (BTW), tech giant Huawei, and Shandong Doreen Electric Power Technology Co., Ltd.

On May 27, EVN chairman Dang Hoang An received a delegation from SEC, during which the two sides discussed potential cooperation in the energy sector, particularly power generation and the modernization of national power grids.

SEC is a global leader in industrial solutions, specializing in energy and industry sectors.

In Vietnam, it has served as the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor for major projects such as Quang Ninh and Vinh Tan 2 thermal power plants in the northern province of Quang Ninh and the south-central province of Binh Thuan, respectively. The company is now expanding into wind and solar energy ventures in Vietnam.

SEC chairman Wu Lei briefed the EVN side on the company’s capabilities and expressed a desire to continue partnering with EVN on power infrastructure projects in Vietnam.

For his part, An said Vietnam plans to add around 100,000 MW of new power generation capacity by 2030 under the revised national power development plan (PDP VIII).

This presents significant room for international partners like SEC to deepen their participation in Vietnam’s energy ecosystem, he stressed.

An praised SEC’s project execution capabilities and technological expertise, affirming EVN’s readiness to expand cooperation with experienced partners - based on the principle of efficiency, safety, sustainability, alignment with Vietnam’s energy transition goals, and compliance with Vietnamese law.

At a meeting on May 28, EVN and Baoding Tianwei Baobian Electric Co., Ltd. (BTW) looked into the production progress of reactors for the 500 kV Lao Cai substation project in the northern province of Lao Cai and several proposed areas of cooperation in the time ahead.

BTW expressed strong interest in expanding collaboration with EVN in the near future, particularly in power transmission, nuclear energy, LNG power, and pumped storage hydropower - key areas that align with Vietnam’s energy sector development strategy.

BTW is among the manufacturers with most comprehensive capabilities in core technology, voltage ranges, product types, and service offerings for transformer and reactor-related projects.

The company had previously participated in supplying 500kV transformers to the Chon Thanh and Duc Hoa 500kV substations in Binh Phuoc and Long An provinces, respectively, both in southern Vietnam.

On June 9, EVN CEO Nguyen Anh Tuan had a working session with Zhou Haojie, chief operating officer of Huawei Electric Power Digitalization Business Unit.

According to Zhou, in Vietnam, Huawei has partnered with over 300 companies to deploy a wide range of renewable energy projects with an accumulated capacity of around 9,000 MW, including both large-scale and rooftop solar installations.

Huawei’s technology solutions emphasize flexible integration with existing power grids, distributed energy management, and enhanced connectivity between solar power systems, EV charging stations, and energy storage systems, he said.

Tuan affirmed that developing modern, flexible, and digitalized power infrastructure is a strategic priority for EVN in the current period.

Pointing to the growing complexity of grid operations, the CEO underscored the importance of rapidly deploying advanced technologies for monitoring, control, and the integration of distributed energy sources.

Smart grids, energy storage systems, and digital operating platforms are seen as essential to maintaining the stability, reliability, and efficiency of the overall power system, he continued.

Lauding Huawei’s technological capabilities, strategic vision, and comprehensive solution ecosystem, Tuan expressed hope that the company would play an active role in advancing the digital transformation of Vietnam’s power sector.

At a June 12 working session, representatives of EVN and Shandong Doreen Electric Power Technology Co., Ltd discussed smart grid technology solutions.

The EVN side said as renewable energy continues to expand rapidly and gain deeper penetration into Vietnam’s power system, solutions for renewables management, monitoring and control like those offered by Doreen hold strong potential.

EVN expressed hope that the Chinese company would collaborate with its power corporations to implement a pilot project featuring smart IoT switching devices and an integrated solar-storage-charging system.

It also called for support in further exploring rooftop solar monitoring and control systems, and in providing additional information to facilitate research and expand collaboration in areas such as smart grid equipment, big data collection and analysis, and application of AI in grid operations.

Doreen provides solutions such as equipment, technology, R&D and construction for domestic and foreign power supply utilities to realize lean operation of medium and low voltage power grids and intelligent management of distribution network.