Workers lay submarine cables to bring electricity to Nhơn Châu Island. — VNA/VNS Photo Nguyên Linh

BÌNH ĐỊNH — The island commune of Nhơn Châu in central Bình Định Province has now gained access to the national grid thanks to an EU-funded project whose completion was marked with a ceremony in Quy Nhơn City on Saturday.

The project, providing electricity from the national grid via submarine cables, had total investment of VNĐ351.5 billion (nearly US$15.2 million), including VNĐ280 billion in non-refundable ODA capital sponsored by the EU and the rest covered by the Central Power Corporation under the Việt Nam Electricity (EVN) group.

EVN General Director Trần Đình Nhân said this project is among important ones of the group.

Between 2013 and 2019, EVN worked to supply power for nine island districts and 74 communes with more than 380,000 household beneficiaries. All communes and 99.52 per cent of households nationwide had gained electricity by the end of 2019, he added.

Ambassador Giorgio Aliberti, head of the EU Delegation to Việt Nam, expressed appreciation towards the country’s breakthrough development in electrification, with over 99 per cent of the population accessing stable power supply at reasonable prices.

He noted that energy is among the spheres the EU and Việt Nam have had close cooperation in, and the EU has assisted the Vietnamese Government to carry out the target programme on the electrification of rural, mountainous and insular areas.

The submarine cables expanding the national grid to Nhơn Châu Island is a success story of the cooperation among the EU, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, EVN and local authorities, according to the diplomat.

He also took this occasion to call on islanders to consume electricity efficiently and consider using renewable energy by installing rooftop solar panels.

Chairman of the Bình Định People’s Committee Hồ Quốc Dũng said the project ensures high-quality power supply for 600 households in Nhơn Châu, which is an important prerequisite for the island to develop industry, trade, services and tourism, helping to safeguard the country’s maritime sovereignty and contributing to local sustainable development. — VNS