Con Dao island to power up with $103 million investment

State utility Vietnam Electricity (EVN) will be allocated VND2.53 trillion ($102.8 million) to extend the power grid to Con Dao island off the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau per a resolution passed by the National Assembly on Thursday.

Under the resolution, which was voted for in favor by more than 94% of lawmakers, the sum will be taken from the central budget provision of the medium-term public investment plan for 2021-2025, accounting for about 60% of this project’s total investment capital. The remaining will come from EVN as the investor.

According to the project's investment plan approved by the government in June 2023, the VND5 trillion ($203.6 million) project will include 23.1 kilometers of overhead transmission lines, over 73 kilometers of submarine cables, and 6.1 kilometers of underground cables on the island.

The demand for electricity in this island district is forecast to reach more than 24.5 megawatts by 2025 and 114.4 megawatts by 2045.

Also according to the resolution, the National Assembly, Vietnam's legislative body, agreed to allocate more than VND63.72 trillion ($2.6 billion) for public investment projects in areas such as transportation, national defense and security, state management, and science-technology.

Of which, 91% or VND57.73 trillion will be poured into 32 traffic projects to complete a synchronous and modern strategic infrastructure system that entails over 3,000 kilometers of expressways by 2025.

Con Dao is an island located in the southern part of the East Sea, belonging to Ba Ria-Vung Tau. It consists of 16 large and small islets, with a total land area of around 75 square kilometers and a marine area of roughly 140 square kilometers within Con Dao National Park.

The island, located around 230 kilometers southeast of Ho Chi Minh City, used to be known for a large prison established by the French and later used by the Americans during the Vietnam War. It is now a tourist attraction.