Favourable processes and procedures
Sao Mai Group (based in An Giang province) owns 2 solar power plants with a total capacity of 260 MW. Of these plants, Sao Mai has put into operation 156MW (106MW in An Giang, 50MW in Long An) before 30 June 2019. Mr. Ho Manh Dung - Sao Mai Group's solar counselor affirmed: "The success of Sao Mai Group has been greatly contributed and strongly supported by EVN and its units such as the National Load Dispatch Center, Power Trading Company, EVN Electricity Market Department. Not only Sao Mai's solar power plants, but solar power plants in Vietnam have been operating safely and continuously procedures and processes of power purchase, sale and payment are implemented smoothly".
Sao Mai Group is speeding up the second phase of the Solar Power Plant in An Giang (capacity of 104MW). The goal is to put it into operation by the end of 2020 - the term of time for enjoying preferential prices under the Prime Minister's Decision 13/2020/QD-TTg on the mechanism to encourage solar power development in Vietnam (hereinafter referred to as FIT price 2). However, due to the effects of COVID-19 pandemic, the implementation is facing many difficulties, especially foreign experts can’t come to Vietnam to check and install equipment.
Mr. Nguyen Xuan Nguyen - Director of Solar Park Control Center (Long An highly appreciated the support from EVN
The Solar Park (Long An) solar power plant complex with Solar Park 1 and 2 plants have been put into commercial operation since June 2019. The remaining two plants are expected to operate commercially in July 2020. In recent years, EVN and units such as the National Load Dispatch Center (A0), the Southern Load Dispatch Center, the Power Trading Company, the Southern Power Corporation have coordinated, supported units to implement procedures and processes very conveniently.
At the meeting to prepare for the operation of solar power plants, taking place on the morning of July 14, the representative of Electricity Regulatory Authority (Ministry of Industry and Trade) highly appreciated the efforts made by EVN and its member units in coordinating and supporting investors of power plants. However, in order for the plants to operate stably and promote the highest efficiency, representatives of the Electricity Regulatory Authority required plants to comply with the recommendations of the National Load Dispatch Center..
EVN creates the most favourable conditions for investors
Mr. Ngo Son Hai – EVN’s Deputy General Director said that the time for plants to come into commercial operation to enjoy FIT 2 price is not much left. Currently, about 36 plants have not been energized and expected to be done at the end of 2020. In order to facilitate the testing and energizing process, Mr. Ngo Son Hai proposed the National Load Dispatch Center, the Power Trading Company cooperates closely with investors in the process of deploying processes and procedures.
Illustration photo
In addition, the National Load Dispatch Center needs to review the training work delivered to the shift-leaders for wind and solar power plants; coordinate with the Electricity Market Committee to study on and propose it to the Ministry of Industry and Trade to promulgate regulations on the order and procedures for mobilizing power plants, ensuring the fair and transparent mobilization of capacity.
EVN's leaders also required Power Corporations, National Power Transmission Corporations to speed up the progress of power generation grid projects and projects connected to renewable energy plants…
Mr. Ngo Son Hai affirmed that renewable energy sources have contributed to alleviate the pressure on electricity supply of EVN, especially in the context of difficult electricity supply as last time. With the efforts of EVN and its member units, the deflation situation of RE power plants has been improved. Factories put into operation before June 30, 2019 have basically been released at full capacity.
However, with the new plants coming into operation after June 30, 2019, in some areas there is still overload, due to the implementation of transmission grid projects takes time. Not to mention, more than 7,000MW of wind power has just been added to the plan. This is no small challenge in releasing renewable energy capacity. EVN leaders said that the Group will report to the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Government to supplement the transmission grid projects; at the same time to urge and direct its subordinate units to quickly progress the grid projects already in the planning.