Momentum for Energy Development

1:30:22 PM | 12/9/2019

To become an energy center of the country, Binh Thuan province has strongly invested in its energy industry and obtained good outcome in recent years.

Binh Thuan province currently has 36 operational power plants with a total capacity of 6,038 MW, including four coal-fired power plants in Vinh Tan Power Center (4,244 MW), seven hydroelectric plants (820 MW), one diesel power plant on Phu Quy Island (10 MW), three wind power plants (60 MW) and 21 solar power plants (904 MWp). In addition, the province is home to Vinh Tan 3 Coal-fired Thermal Power Plant (1,980 MW) of Vinh Tan Power Center which is being prepared for construction; Son My LNG-fueled Power Center (4,500 MW) which will be kicked off after 2020; seven solar power projects (509 MWp) expected to generate electricity in the third quarter of 2019; and 13 wind power projects (607 MW) expected to be invested from now to 2021. Besides, the province has a wind power project (3,400 MW) in Ke Ga - Ham Thuan Nam, approved by the Prime Minister and licensed by the Ministry of Industry and Trade to foreign investors. Some other investors also registered to conduct surveys on wind power in Tuy Phong, Bac Binh and Ham Tan districts with a total recommended capacity of about 3,000 MW. The Provincial People’s Committee submitted 60 solar power projects (3,945 MWp or 3,173 MW) to the Ministry of Industry and Trade for appraisal and addition to the Power Development Plan.

To launch energy projects in the province, the Provincial People’s Committee has directed concerned bodies and localities to disclose power projects included in the electricity planning list; issued directive documents for updating land-use planning, allocating land fund for projects and constructions, and agreeing on locations and routes for transformer stations and transmission lines; set up councils to determine land sources, land compensation and construction; and coordinated with power investors to carrying out procedures and paying compensation money.

When investors carry out their projects, all-level authorities of Binh Thuan province always supports them to promptly and effectively plan land use for their projects; regularly reviews, monitors and holds meetings to review and check the progress of power investment projects to timely assist them to tackle difficulties and obstacles. All-tier authorities quickly settle procedures concerning land allocation, compensation and clearance. When dealing with land compensation and clearance, the province has applied policies and regulations to this effect to ensure lawful rights and interests of people.

Mr. Do Minh Kinh, Director of the Department of Industry and Trade of Binh Thuan Province, said, the biggest difficulty in energy development is insufficient infrastructure for grid-connection and transmission. Besides, solar and wind power projects are situated in areas planned for titanium exploration, exploitation, processing, and conservation.

To solve difficulties and obstacles in the process of carrying out projects and support infrastructure construction for grid connection and power transmission, the Provincial People’s Committee proposed the Ministry of Industry and Trade to report to the Prime Minister for permission for solar and wind power projects to be built on areas currently planned for titanium exploration, exploitation, processing and conservation. At the same time, the Prime Minister directed the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Ministry of Industry and Trade to soon appraise and submit to the Prime Minister for approval of changing the plan for titanium exploration, exploitation, processing and use and titanium reserves planning. The province asked the Ministry of Industry and Trade to consider and approve projects it submitted, projects already appraised by the Electricity and Renewable Energy Department under the ministry to report to the Prime Minister to check and report projects to the Prime Minister for adoption of the revised plans and addition of those projects to the Power Development Planning.

In addition, the Provincial People’s Committee requested the Ministry of Industry and Trade to direct the Electricity of Vietnam Group to assign relevant units and affiliated units to research the construction, renovation and upgrade of transmission lines and transformer stations of 500 kV, 220 kV and 110 kV. “As the power industry has now not allocated sufficient investment capital for the power grid, we hope the ministry to direct and assign the power industry to work with the province and investors to study interest-free investment plans for various power grid projects to submit to the Prime Minister for consideration and decision, Mr. Kinh said.

Cong Luan