Vietnam strives to link regional power systems

Vietnam currently has 15 power projects with ASEAN countries, said the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

Of the projects, four have gone into operation, three are under construction and eight are in the making with feasibility studies already underway.

The ministry said the operating plants have ensured the stable electricity supply of the regional power system and increased its standby system.

Vietnam has sold nearly 900 million kWh of electricity since 2009 when the 220kV line from Chau Doc, Vietnam to Phnom Penh, Cambodia was connected. The electricity source provided by Vietnam has partly helped the country stabilise its power supply for socio-economic development.

The Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) group regularly provides electricity to Lao and Cambodian communes located near the border with Vietnam.

Vietnam continues to actively engage in a programme to establish an ASEAN electricity grid and the first priorities are to link up its power grids with Laos and Cambodia.

Under a bilateral electricity cooperation programme, Laos expects to export 3,000 MW of electricity to Vietnam by 2015 and 5,000 MW by 2020. Both countries have started constructing transmission lines to conduct electricity from Vietnamese-invested power plants and other plants built by independent investors in Laos to Vietnam.-VOVNews

Tags: Vietnam energy