VietNamNet Bridge – The power industry in Con Dao island district in the southern province of Ba Ria – Vung Tau, aims to produce 11 million kWh of electricity in 2015, a yearly rise of 6 percent, to maximise local tourism.

Con Dao urban centre (Photo: VNA)

Sitting 185 kilometres from Vung Tau city and 230 kilometres from Ho Chi Minh City, Con Dao plays a significant role in socio-economic, defence and security development in the country’s southern seas and islands.

It is also home to important tangible and intangible national cultural heritages presenting substantial potential to develop various forms of tourism such as ecological and spiritual tourism.

Vice Chairman of the district People’s Committee Nguyen Van Dung listed the necessary steps to fully tap the local tourism potential, including building green energy and sewage treatment systems along with improving transportation between the island district and the mainland and providing sufficient electricity for residents.

In 2013, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism approved the drafting of a master plan to develop Con Dao into a national tourist site through 2030.

If the plan is approved by the Prime Minister, the electricity sector will need to evolve alongside the provincial socio-economic development, Dung said.

A diesel station is the current electricity provider for the Con Dao urban centre with a capacity of 3,680 kW.

With capital sourced from the Southern Power Corporation, the Con Dao electricity sector plans to install two additional turbines, each with a capacity of 1,500 kW in 2015 and 2016, as the sector is currently only satisfying half of the power demands.

In February 2015, the provincial People’s Committee gave the green light to a project developing energy sources in Con Dao Island through 2030.

Accordingly, the average commercial electricity growth is estimated at 23.4 percent between 2015 and 2020.

Diesel remains the major source of electricity, followed by liquefied natural gas (LNG) and other renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power.

The total estimated cost for developing the power network in Con Dao is about 2.6 trillion VND (122 million USD), including the construction of a 65.4 MW power plant in 2030 and a 43 MG power plant within 2015-2020.

There are also two electricity projects worth a combined of 645 billion VND (30.2 million USD) with investment licenses, namely the 4 MG Con Dao wind power plant and the 5 MG Con Dao solar power.

Ba Ria – Vung Tau is working with the Con Dao Island’s People’s Committee to call for domestic and foreign investment to develop infrastructure and connect the Con Dao urban centre with other islands.

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