VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam will need more than VND17 trillion (some US$805 million) each year from now to until 2020 to invest in electricity projects as envisioned in the national power zoning plan.

Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai mentioned the huge investment in his speech at a ceremony for the 20th anniversary of the 500kV north-south power line in Hanoi last Tuesday.

Hai said that the annual electricity production had gone up by 13.2% on average, from 12.3 billion kWh in 1994 to nearly 130 billion kWh last year.

The highest capacity of the electricity system has also risen from 2,800 MW to 21,000 MW, with an annual growth rate of 11.2%. Last year’s power consumption per capita was 1,445 kWh, over eight times higher than the average volume recorded 20 years ago (175 kWh).

However, the backup electricity supply is still low. Some transformer stations and transmission lines are often overloaded in peak hours and this has eroded consumer confidence in the power sector.

According to Vietnam Electricity Group, after 20 years of operating the first 500kV north-south line and 10 years for the second one, the total transmission capacity is 1,600-1,800 MW with annual output of over 12 billion kWh.

To ensure electricity supply in the dry season in the southern region, the power sector commissioned the 500kV Pleiku-My Phuoc-Cau Bong line of 437.5 kilometers and the 500kV Cau Bong transformer station earlier this month after more than two years of construction.

The 500kV Pleiku-My Phuoc-Cau Bong line, the third of the north-south power transmission system, helps increase the transmission capacity from Pleiku to southern provinces to 2,300 MW and supports socio-economic development in the south.

SGT/VNN