Việt Nam’s Trường Thành Group and Thai partner Bgrimm Power held a ground-breaking ceremony on November 17 a new solar power plant in the central province of Phú Yên.— Photo baophuyen.com.vn

PHÚ YÊN — Việt Nam’s Trường Thành Group and Thai partner Bgrimm Power held a ground-breaking ceremony on November 17 a new solar power plant in the central province of Phú Yên.

The plant, located in Hòa Hội Commune, Phú Hòa District, is the first in Phú Yên and will have a capacity of 256 MW, making it the largest among Trường Thành’s solar projects. The Prime Minister has called it a key project in Phú Yên’s socio-economic development.

Total investment in the plant is estimated at over VNĐ4.9 trillion (US$212 million).

Trường Thành’s chairman Đặng Trung Kiên said the plant would contribute to the country’s energy security while creating jobs for local workers and resources for the local budget.

Construction of the plant is scheduled to be completed in the second quarter of 2019.

According to the vice chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, the administration had submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Industry and Trade for 16 solar power plants with total capacity of 1,060 MW. 

Solar power hub

Meanwhile, its neighbouring province of Khánh Hòa was striving to put its solar power plants into operation in 2019, according to local authorities.

The province is home to nine solar projects with a combined investment of VNĐ13 trillion (over $563.2 million) and total capacity of 565 MW. They cover nearly 800 hectares scattered across the province.

The provincial People’s Committee recently published a list of 30 places it had earmarked for more solar projects, of which 22 had been registered with a combined capacity of 1,200 MW and were waiting for approval from central authorities. The rest were calling for investment.

Khánh Hòa Province covers over 5,190 square kilometres and enjoys 2,600 hours of sunlight per year at an average temperature of 26.7C. Cam Ranh City and Cam Lâm District have been described by experts as the most suitable places for developing solar power generation. — VNS