NINH THUẬN — Three first wind turbines of the Đầm Nại wind project in the coastal southern central province of Ninh Thuận were completed and put into commercial operation from Saturday.

On the same day, the provincial People’s Committee in cooperation with TSV Joint Stock Company and Singapore-based wind energy developer The Blue Circle hosted the inauguration ceremony for the project’s first phase and kicked off the construction of the second phase in Bắc Sơn Commune, Thuận Bắc District.

The first phase of Đầm Nại Wind Power Plant was started in April 2017, with an investment of US$15 million and a capacity of 7.8 MW.

This is the first wind energy project in Ninh Thuận Province to be commercially operated.

Đỗ Văn Điện, deputy chairman of the board cum director general of Đầm Nại Wind Power Joint Stock Company, said the second phase of Đầm Nại wind power plant had a capacity of 30 MW, using turbines of 2.625 MW per turbine with an investment of US$60 million. It is set to be operational in November 2018, Đầu tư (Investment) newspaper reported.

After the completion of the second phase, the joint venture will expand the project to raise its capacity up to 105MW with 40 turbines. The total capacity of Đầm Nại wind power plant is expected to reach 350 million kWh per year.

Simultaneously, the traffic system of the whole area will be upgraded.

Lưu Xuân Vĩnh, head of Ninh Thuận Province People’s Committee, asked investors to mobilise resources to effectively implement the project, ensure quality, safety and to protect the environment. He also called for the cooperation of relevant agencies to create favourable conditions for investors in constructing and operating the wind energy project.

Investors, on the other hand, planned to recruit local labour and shoulder enterprises’ social responsibilities in the project area.

In December 2017, Ninh Thuận Province showed high hopes of being Việt Nam’s renewable energy hub and considered the renewable energy industry as a breakthrough for the local economy.

According to Phan Đăng Thành, director of the provincial Department of Industry and Trade, besides wind energy, the development of industrial solar projects in Ninh Thuận Province would witness a rapid increase till 2020. — VNS