Specifically, Son La Hydropower Plant contributed 97.6 billion kWh; Lai Chau Hydropower Plant is 27.4 billion kWh.
Son La Hydropower Plant (6 units, total 2,400MW) has been operating for more than 11 years, Lai Chau Hydropower Plant (3 units, total 1,200MW) has operated for more than 6 years. The total capacity of these two plants accounts for about 5% of the total installed power capacity of the country.
Both plants provide about 12 billion kWh/year to the national electricity system (accounting for about 4.5% of the total output of the national electricity system). In recent years, renewable energy sources have been put into operation with increasing capacity, these two plants have become more and more important when playing the role of frequency control and pressurization to stabilize the electricity system in Vietnam.
With particularly important characteristics in many aspects, both Son La and Lai Chau hydropower projects are placed on the list of important works related to national security. In addition, since the Son La Hydropower Plant came into operation, it has also increased the power generation output of Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant by an average of 1.2 billion kWh/year.
Son La Hydropower Plant
According to Mr. Khuong The Anh - Director of Son La Hydropower Company, over the years, the plant has always been the leader in value and proportion of contribution to the local budget in Son La and Lai Chau and Dien Bien provinces, making a significant contribution to the process of promoting socio-economic development in the Northwest region. The total value of the payment to the state budget since its establishment has reached more than VND 21,700 billion. In which, Son La Hydropower Plant paid more than VND 16,600 billion, Lai Chau Power Plant paid more than VND 5,100 billion.
Son La Hydropower Company also strictly implements payment for Vietnam Forest Protection and Development Fund according to Decree No. 99/2010/ND-CP dated September 24, 2010 of the Prime Minister. Accumulated from the time when the project was put into operation until now, the company has paid VND 2,516.7 billion to the forest protection and development fund in Son La.
In addition, Son La Hydropower Company has actively cooperated with authorities in 3 localities (Son La, Dien Bien, Lai Chau provinces) in the reservoir bed to afforest, reforest to protect the environment of hydropower plants and the area around Son La and Lai Chau hydropower reservoirs with a total area of 408.96 ha, equivalent to the afforestation value at about VND 30.27 billion.