EVN Targets Electricity Output of 53.4Bln kWh in 2005

EVN Targets Electricity Output of 53.4Bln kWh in 2005

Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) has projected total electricity output of 53.4 billion kWh this year, up 7.1 billion kWh or 16.7 per cent against last year. Of the total output, some 8.25 billion kWh will be purchased from private power enterprises, up 46.9 per cent against 2004.

EVN, which generates 90 per cent of Vietnam's total power output, said it planned to build or expand 32 power plants with a total additional capacity of 7,547MW in 2006-2010 to increase output to 93 billion kWh by 2010.

The new development plans would require an investment of VND20-30 trillion (US$1.3-1.9 billion) a year, 70 per cent of which would be mobilised from outside sources, both domestic and foreign, the corporation said.

EVN said it would increase hydro-electricity generation to 34-45 per cent and coal-fired electricity to 23 per cent in 2010, both from the current 15 per cent. In addition, it plans to expand the power grid and build small and medium power plants to ensure supply to ethnic minority areas, especially in the Central Highlands.

In the 2000-2004 period, EVN had built 15 power stations at a cost of VND72.5 trillion (US$4.61 billion) to take its total capacity to 9,868 MW.

EVN forecasted electricity consumption in Vietnam to reach 45.8 billion kWh in 2005, up 14.4 per cent from last year. Meanwhile, the combined power generation capacity of local power plants will be expanded by 300 MW this year, bringing up their total capacity to 11,304 MW by the end of the year.

Vietnam now has 32 power plants with a combined generation capacity of 11,280 MW. The country's electricity consumption growth stood at 13 per cent in 2004, compared with 15 per cent in the previous year, government figures show.