A 110kV transformer station in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai (Photo:VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – The Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) said it has continued investing in power projects in rural and remote areas and islands, especially localities with a low rate of rural households gaining access to electricity.
The group has called for official development assistance and preferential loans from international organisations such as the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and German development bank KfW.
Regarding a PM-approved programme on power supply for rural, mountainous areas and islands for 2013-2020, the EVN has worked closely with localities to set out priorities in line with annual funding from the State budget. Under the programme, projects designed for 2016-2020 need 13.72 trillion VND (603.68 million USD) while the State budget allocated for them only amounts to 1.14 trillion VND (50.16 million USD), equivalent to 10.6 percent.
During the 2011-2015 period, the EVN focused on connecting ethnic communities in the northern mountainous, Central Highlands and southwest regions to the national grid, with a total investment of over 794 million USD.
In 2016 alone, the group brought electricity to Lai Son and Hon Nghe island in the southern province of KienGiang and Cham islet in the central province of Quang Nam.
Currently, electricity has been available in 99.96 percent of communes nationwide, with 98.69 percent of rural households having access to power sources.
The EVN also supplies electricity for 11 out of 12 island districts.-VNA
VNA
