"Cleaving the Waves" to connect power to the islands
For the 2011-2015 period, EVN has overfulfilled the investment plans of connecting power to the rural and island areas with the total capital of more than USD 640 million and nearly VND 3,500 billion. Accordingly, in October 2013, Co To Island District (Quang Ninh province) became the first Island in the country connected to the national grid. In February 2014, the longest 110 kV submarine cable line in South East Asia was first built in Vietnam and completed, starting from Ha Tien to Phu Quoc Island (Kien Giang Province). The next ones connected to the national grid are Ly Son, Phu Quy, Cai Chien, Van Don and Hon Tre, etc..
In 2016, along with the construction of the lines and substations to connect the national grid to the Cham island (Quang Nam province), Lai Son island (Kien Giang Province), the longest 110 kV overhead line crossing the sea (24.5 km) continue shall be constructed.
The greatest challenge when connecting the national grid to islands is the complicated construction condition and severe sea weather. In addition, the mobilization of financing sources is also a non-trivial challenge. To overcome the situation, the project owner has mobilized resources in the form of socialization: State, local authorities, business and people participating in the investment.
Typically, the project to connect Co To island to the national grid has attracted enterprises, organizations and individuals to contribute an amount of VND 205 billion.
Most of the Islands after being connected to the national grid have experienced strong economic developments; attracted investment and improved the living conditions of the people.
Ganh Dau commune, Phu Quoc district, Kien Giang Province has made a big change thanks to power from the national grid.
For "power supplied in every house”
Up to this moment, EVN is supplying power to 9 out of 12 island districts. According to the World Bank, the level of power coverage to rural and remote households in Vietnam is the great achievement that not many other countries in the world can achieve it. The reasons why the islands currently have not been connected to electricity are due to long distance from the mainland and very difficult conditions to build a submarine cable line. To supply power, it is necessary to mobilize local generations such as diesel generators and renewable energy sources from wind power and solar power is deployed.
With a goal by 2020, most of the rural households will be connected to electricity, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has approved the Feasibility Study of 22 rural and island power projects for the period of 2015-2020, of which 21 power projects shall be connected to the national grid and 1 project to supply power for Bach Long Vi Island district (Hai Phong City) using combined generation: hybrid wind + solar power source + diesel + energy storage.
For the short term, the power supply alternative for Bach Long Vi island will be wind power combined with the diesel source. For the long term, the EVN will study the alternative to supply power from solar source in order to take advantage of the strengths of the island. When the project is completed, there will be more than 262,500 households connected to the national grid and benefited from the electricity price incentives of the Government.
Positively taking over the power sale on the island
Most of the grid on the island is managed by the local authority. After taking over the grid, EVN will invest to upgrade the existing grid in the Islands and to meet the growing power consumption in the period of 2016-2020.
|
EVN is currently supplying power to 9 out of 12 island districts including: Van Don, Co To (Quang Ninh province), Cat Hai, Bach Long Vi (Hai Phong), Ly Son (Quang Ngai province), Phu Quy (Binh Thuan province), Con Dao (Ba Ria - Vung Tau province), Phu Quoc and Kien Hai (Kien Giang Province); of which the Phu Quy and Con Dao islands are supplied from local generation and the remaining islands are connected to the national grid.
|