Vietnam Central Highlands province revokes 13.2 hectares designated for solar power project

Vietnam’s Central Highlands province of Dak Lak has revoked 13.2 hectares of land designated for a solar farm project to private multi-sector corporation Xuan Thien Group.

Vietnam’s Central Highlands province of Dak Lak has revoked 13.2 hectares of land designated for a solar farm project to private multi-sector corporation Xuan Thien Group.

In a decision issued last week, Dak Lak authorities said that the land now available to Xuan Thien for its various projects has been reduced to 123.7 hectares. The retrieved land is set to be managed by the authorities of Ea Sup district.

Xuan Thien Ea Sup 4 solar farm in Dak Lak province, Vietnam's Central Highlands. Photo courtesy of Xuan Thien.

Dak Lak authorities clarified the decision followed a conclusion of the Government Inspectorate released in December 2023. The land lot, designated for Xuan Thien Group’s Ea Sup 4 solar power plant, did not meet regulations set by the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

In the conclusion, the Government Inspectorate said the designated land for Xuan Thien Group’s solar power complex  Ea Sup 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 power factories was not suitable with Ea Sup district’s land planning. Following changes to the plans for the Ea Sup 4 power plant, the investor also failed to submit an updated environmental impact report.

The Xuan Thien-Ea Sup solar power plant complex was connected to the national grid in November 2020. The 831 MWp power project from two million solar cells, with an investment of VND20 trillion ($814.3 million), has an annual output of 1.5 billion kWh. The project also features the installation of 22.2 kilometers of 500 kV power lines.