HÀ NỘI — Authorities in the Central Highlands province of Đắk Lắk have made the decision to scrap plans for constructing 17 small and medium hydropower plants with total capacity of 27.4 megawatts.

The province has also axed 69 sites which have potential to become future stations, with combined capacity totalling 117 megawatts.

The move comes following the Prime Minister’s directive to close natural forests in the Central Highlands to deal with climate change during the 2016-2020 period, Đắk Lắk vice chairman Y Giang Gry Nie Knong said.

In addition to 17 small and medium-sized plants, the province also decided to cease construction of the 26-megawatt Đrăng Phốc hydropower plant on the Serepok River, located in the core area of the Yok Đôn National Park, as more than 60ha of special-use forest land would have to be cut down.

According to the Đắk Lắk vice chairman, the removal of these projects and potential sites is because most of them are located in forest areas, meaning hydropower plant construction would seriously affect forest resources and local ecology.

Further, experts said Đắk Lắk and the Central Highlands, in general, have huge potential for harnessing wind and solar power, which has little impact on forests. The province is, therefore, calling for investment in the field.

Đắk Lắk has set a target to generate 5,250 megawatts from wind and solar farms by 2030, concentrating on the districts of Buôn Đôn, Cư M’gar, Ea H’Leo and Ea Sup, as well as Krông Năng, Krong Buk and Buôn Hồ town.

Last March, Đắk Lắk granted investment licences to 12 wind and solar power projects on the sidelines of a conference calling for investment in the Central Highlands region.—VNS