An operational solar power plant in Ninh Thuận Province's Ninh Sơn District. — VNA/VNS Photo Ngọc Hà

HÀ NỘI — The south central province of Ninh Thuận will help investors speed up the implementation of renewable energy projects, with the goal of having 2,000MW of solar power and more than 60MW of wind power connected to the grid by the end of this year, chairman of the provincial People's Committee Lưu Xuân Vĩnh said.

Initially, the committee requested relevant departments and sectors to assist Trung Nam Group in completing procedures so that the enterprise can start construction of a 450MW solar power plant in Phước Minh Commune this month, the chairman said.

The Thuận Nam solar power plant, expected to cost VNĐ14 trillion (more than US$600 million), is slated for completion in the fourth quarter of this year. Once operational, the plant will be the largest of its kind in Việt Nam and Southeast Asia as well.

The company will also build a 500kV substation and install 500kV and 220kV transmission lines to connect the plant with the national grid, chinhphu.vn reported.

In order to facilitate investors, local authorities will continue speeding up administrative reforms to slash time and costs for the firms in fulfilling relevant procedures as well as ensure adequate personnel for the enterprises which are investing in solar and wind power projects in the province. 

Ninh Thuận aims to become the renewable energy centre of the country.

The province has a high level of sunshine hours (2,467) per year and solar radiation per square metre (1,700kWh), making it ideal for solar energy projects.

Under the province’s green energy plan, by 2030 it is expected to reach a total capacity of 1,500MW in wind energy and 3,912MW in solar energy.

The province is now home to 17 operational solar power plants with a total capacity of 1,100 MW.

It has also approved 13 wind power projects with a designed capacity of 680MW. Of the total, three have been already operational. — VNS