Tra Vinh supports almost 6,000 poor and near poor households in safe power consumption

Tra Vinh province has been performing a rehabilitation project for almost 6,000 poor and near poor households using unsafe bumper-to-bumper power in 60 communes in 9 districts, towns, cities in the province, with the total cost of VND 20 billion funded by the province’s budget.

The project is aimed at accomplishing criterion 4 of rural electrification in the national criteria set of new rural development, which is divided into two phases. In phase 1, more than 1,700 households in 12 communes of 4 districts of Chau Thanh, Tra Cu, Cau Ke and Duyen Hai have been supported.

In phase 2, nearly 4,200 households in Chau Thanh, Cau Ngang, Duyen Hai, Tieu Can, Cau Ke, Cang Long districts, Duyen Hai township and Tra Vinh city have been supported. Up to now, the power retailers have rehabilitated more than 680 households from the situation of bumper – to – bumper power consumption; the project thus is planned to complete by the first quarter of 2017.

Tra Vinh power company is bringing power to shrimp farming areas at Don Xuan commune, Duyen Hai district.

Poor and near poor households under the project have been financially supported for the whole expenditures of main power meter installation for safe power consumption such as power meters, conductors, insulators, labour force, etc.

According to Tra Vinh power company, there are more than 264,000 households in the entire province being electrified, reaching 98.53% of the total number of households of which the proportion of households using unsafe bumper-to-bumper power particularly in the rural areas is quite high. Most of these households face difficult economic situation or stay in remote residences. This type of power consumption causes both higher power prices than the regulated tariff and unsafety.

The Department of Industry and Trade of Tra Vinh province and the power retailers in the province have disseminated information to the communities to prevent households from unsafe bumper-to-bumper power consumption, and are at the same time implementing grid rehabilitation investment projects.

Tra Vinh power company has invested more than VND 1.4 billion to assist 711 households in installing main meters for safe power consumption; the Rural power development JSC., reserves VND 5.8 billion to assist nearly 3,000 households in solving the situation of bumper-to-bumper.