EVN Invests US$2.5Bln to Light up Central Highlands

Electricity of Vietnam, the country’s sole electricity provider, is implementing the construction of 13 hydropower plants at the total investment of VND39.3 trillion (roughly US$2.5 billion) in the Central Highlands or Tay Nguyen in the five-year period beginning 2006, state media reported.

 

Of the works, EVN will carry out two projects in the Dak Lak province, four in Dak Nong, four in Gia Lai, two in Lam Dong and one in Kon Tum provinces, EVN officials said.

 

So far EVN has completed several hydropower plants such as Ya Ly (720MW), Ya Drang 1 (600MW), Ham Thuan-Da My (475MW)

 

Under the EVN’s master plan, it will also build additional 22 hydropower plants with a combined capacity of 3,200 megawatts, which are expected to generate some 15 billion kWh of electricity a year, accounting for 30 per cent of Vietnam’s current electricity output and down to 15 per cent by 2011, EVN said.

 

In 2006 alone, EVN will spend about VND10 billion (US$628,930) erecting power lines for 12,206 families of ethnic central highlanders.

 

In separated development, central highland Dak Nong province plans to invest about VND1.4 trillion (US$88 million) into its socio-economic development in the 2006-2010 period, the local authorities have said.