Transmission trouble EVN seeks to harness renewable energy capacity

Sustainable Consumption

20/08/2019

The good news is that solar power plants in the provinces of Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan went on line simultaneously and ahead of schedule. The bad news is that they did so without the requisite strengthening of transmission capacity, resulting in grid overload.

The Ninh Thuan Department of Industry and Trade reports that as of June 30, some 18 local wind and solar power projects with total capacity of 1,180MW went into commercial operation. By the end of the year, four additional renewable energy projects with total capacity of 140MW are planned to go into operation and 12 more projects with total capacity of 614MW by 2020.

Do Minh Kinh, director of the Binh Thuan Department of Industry and Trade, said as many as 20 local wind power projects with total capacity of 707.8MW have been approved to supplement the National Power Development Plan, with 13 projects being granted investment certificates by the provincial people’s committee for total capacity of 607MW. In addition, the government has allowed foreign investors to study the Ke Ga offshore wind power project, which is expected to have total capacity of 3,400MW. As a result, total planned and expected capacity of wind power projects is forecast to reach more than 7,100MW.

Among 95 registered solar power projects in Binh Thuan Province, some 21 went into operation before a June 30 deadline with total capacity of 903.48MW, while five projects with total capacity of 168.4MW are asking for investment certificates.

The Vietnam Electricity (EVN), the National Power Transmission Corporation, the Southern Power Corporation (EVN SPC) and investors are discussing ways to harness the capacity of wind and solar power projects. Accordingly, they will continue to upgrade transmission lines as well as 220kV and 110kV substations, while building the 500kV Thuan Nam substation in Ninh Thuan Province and another 500kV substation in Binh Thuan Province.

EVN Deputy General Director Nguyen Anh Tai said EVN has directed member units to release capacity of renewable energy projects in the provinces of Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan urgently. EVN SPC has been preparing to invest in 16 110kV power grid projects with total estimated investment capital of VND1.216 trillion.

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Hoang Quoc Vuong said the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the power sector would do their best to overcome the overloading of transmission lines, and release power capacity as much as possible in the shortest time for investors. The Ministry of Industry and Trade has assigned the Electricity Regulatory Authority of Vietnam to review the power transmission system in the central region, especially in the provinces of Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade will continue to perfect mechanisms and policies to attract investment in renewable energy projects.

Thanh Minh