Electricity of Vietnam (EVN), the country’s sole power supplier, will buy about 730 megawatts of electricity from China next year via six 220-kV transmission lines, state media reported.
The power purchase, EVN said, will help compensate power shortage estimated at one billion kWh in 2007.
EVN said it will plug six 220 kV transmission lines into the national power grid September 28, which is to be used to transmit electricity from the neighboring country via the border province of Lao Cai to provide power for six northern provinces of Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Lai Chau, Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang and Quang Ninh. These localities have been using electric power purchased from China, estimated at 60 million kWh per month.
“The works with 230 kilometers in length and combined capacity of 300MW, once plugged in the national power grid, will supply electricity for the six northern provinces, then likely transmitted to two other provinces of Vinh Phuc and Thai Nguyen via 220-kV transformer stations,” Nguyen Duc Khoi, vice general director of EVN said.
Khoi said the purchase of power between the two countries will double when the 500KV grids from both countries are connected.
Khoi also revealed Vietnam is expected to buy from China through such power works from 1.1-1.3 billion kWh of electricity a year.
EVN also added power generation would fall from 500 MW to 800 MW between 6am and 10pm every day. At peak hours, production could decrease from 1,500 MW to 1,200MW. The shortage is primarily due to repairs of a gas pipeline linked to thermo-power plants at the Phu My Power Complex.
EVN experts also forecast power shortages of up to one billion kWh or 1,000 KW at peak hours next year.
P.V
Vietnamese
