Electricity of Vietnam (EVN), the country’s sole power supplier, plans to construct about 30 small-, medium-scaled hydropower plants in the central and central highland regions in the 2006-2015 period, state media reported.
These projects, once operational, are aimed to boost socio-economic development as well as the irrigational works in the regions.
Of the works, from now till 2008, EVN is expected to put into operation eight hydropower plants including Se San 3, Se San 3A, (2006), two power plants in central Quang Tri (2007) and four others such as Ba Ha, A Vuong, Binh Dien and Buon Kuop plants (2008)
Toughest obstacles facing EVN now are shortage of capital investment, EVN said, adding that it can mobilize just 15 per cent-30 per cent of the total for these works.
EVN recently inked several credit contracts with four state-run banks to raise VND20 trillion (US$1.25 billion) for these projects.
Currently, as many as 22 hydropower plants with a combined capacity of 3,200 megawatts, which are being built, 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.
In related news, this year, EVN will spend about VND10 billion (US$628,930) erecting power lines for 12,206 families of ethnic minority people in the Central Highlands, or Tay Nguyen.
The People
Vietnamese
