LONG AN — Construction of a US$42 million solar power plant commenced on Sunday in the southern province of Long An’s Thạnh Hóa District.

Financed by BCG Băng Dương Energy JSC, an affiliate of Bamboo Capital Group in HCM City, the 50.2-ha plant targets to produce 60 millionkWh of power each year.  It is slated for completion no later than June 2019.

Trần Văn Cần, chairman of Long An People’s Committee, said that the solar power plant – the first ever of its kind in the locality – would mark an important milestone in the province’s energy development scheme.

Once operational, the plant would lay the way for other similar projects in the province in the near future, Cần said.

The plant’s breaking ground ceremony was witnessed by Deputy Prime Minister Trương Hòa Bình.

In his speech at the event, BCG Chairman Nguyễn Hồ Nam said his company would co-operate closely with world-leading firms in solar power to ensure quality and environmental safety.

It had partnered with Syntegra Solar of Germany as the designer and monitor, Nam said, adding that the solar panels used in the project were made using the latest technology.

The investor will also develop a 110kV substation in Thạnh Hóa District, build an internal road system and install a pump system for reservoirs and a 9km transmission line.

As one of the fastest growing economies in the region, Việt Nam is experiencing rapid industrialisation. In parallel with the industrialisation process, people are moving to cities and vast urbanisation is taking place, a conference heard in the capital last week.

To support socio-economic development, the country is encouraging renewable energy development to reduce the dependence on fossil fuels.

Under the plan, the total designed capacity of solar power generation must amount to 850MW in 2020 and 4,000MW by 2025. Meanwhile, the total capacity of solar power set for 2030 is 12,000MW. — VNS