Over 15 years of implementation, the programme of rural electrification has grown dramatically both in width and depth. The programme has been developed in poor rural areas, mountainous areas and islands and at the same time, gradually strengthened the grid to ensure the safety of power supply for the demand of socio-economic development.
At the online conference summarising 15 years of rural electrification (1998-2013 period) organised by the Ministry of Industry and Trade in Hanoi, Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai said: “In 2013, 97 percent of rural households were granted power, which has enormous meaning."
Ms Victoria Kwakwa, Country Director of the World Bank in Vietnam said that Vietnam's success in the field of electrification has been recognised worldwide and that many countries wish to gain experience from Vietnam. At the same time, the World Bank is committed to continuing to support Vietnam through the provision of infrastructure investment, contributing to the implementation of electrification programme in 2014-2020 period.
Mr Vu Huy Hoang, Minister of Industry and Trade said the total investment capital of the country for rural power grid is over VND48 trillion. The success of the rural electrification stems from the right policies and directions of the Party and State; the proper coordination of the Vietnam Electricity (EVN) and the support of international organisations.
Some typical projects of rural electrification include the power supply project for five provinces without electricity in the Central Highlands under the 85-15 mechanism. The project was implemented from 2006 to 2009 with a total investment capital of VND1,300 billion supplying power to 1,331 villages and 116,000 households. Along with the use of power sources for communes, villages and households without electricity on land, with the aim of ensuring security for island districts of the country, a series of power supply projects from the national grid through underground cables have been implemented including the power transmission project to Co To Island district which has a total investment capital of nearly VND 1,106 billion and is carried out in 2 years of 2012 and 2013, providing electricity to over 1,600 households.
At the conference, Mr Hoang Quoc Vuong, Chairman of the Board of Members of the Vietnam Electricity (EVN) said that in the upcoming time, EVN will continue to enhance supplying capacity; ensure electricity quality serving conversion; and develop new models in agricultural production. It will also implement new rural program of the Party and government through investment in upgrading and repairing medium and low voltage grid at 7,000 rural communes, which will help improve the quality of power supply and reduce power losses, with the investment capital of about US$2 billion. EVN wishes to continue to receive more ODA from international organisations for Vietnam to complete rural electrification of 2014-2020 period. EVN is committed to continuing to promote its role of a leading economic state group operating in compliance with the Government's commitment to international donors of ODA.
To achieve the objectives of rural electrification of 2014 - 2020 period, Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai instructed that central and local ministries, agencies and departments to cooperate with EVN to promote efficiency achieved, focus on improving the quality of existing operators and make quality transparent for people. The Ministry of Trade and Industry and EVN continue to coordinate with local authorities to properly implement the following programme. The People's Committee of provinces promote the existing experience to develop programmes more quickly and efficiently.
Huong Ly
Vietnamese
