Vietnam to complete 500 kV power line in Aug to facilitate electricity import from China

State utility Vietnam Electricity (EVN) must kick off the construction of the 500 kV Lao Cai-Vinh Yen power line in the northwestern region in February and complete it by August 31.

Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien made the request at a Friday meeting with EVN and the authorities of Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Phu Tho, Vinh Phuc provinces.

The project will help the transmission of power projects in the northwestern region of Vietnam and power import from China, he highlighted.

Lao Cai is a northern mountainous province bordering China and Vinh Yen is part of Vinh Phuc province bordering Hanoi. The 229.5 km project has an investment of VND7,411 billion ($290.34 million).

So far, EVN, as project investor, has completed the plan for selecting main contractors and is collaborating with four provinces to process site clearance. It estimates that 2,189 households in an area of 63.03 hectares will be impacted.

In the draft amendment to the power development plan VIII (PDP VIII), the Ministry of Industry and Trade said Vietnam will raise electricity imports from China by 3,000 MW by 2030, over five times higher than those stated in the current PDP VIII, respectively.

Electricity from China is imported to Vietnam via two 220 kV transmission lines, Malungtang-Ha Giang and Maquan-Lao Cai, during the dry season, with total capacity of about 550 MW and an output of 2-3 billion kWh per year.