The southern coastal province of Kien Giang has invested over 1 trillion VND (47 million USD) in a project to build power infrastructure in 9 island communes in the locality in the 2013-2020 period.

Through the project, the locality hopes to bring electricity to 98 percent of residents in the communes by 2015 and the rate is expected to be 99 percent by 2020.

Towards this goal, the province will install 6 diesel power stations in six islands, including Lai Son, Hon Tho, Tho Chau, Hon Nghe, Hon Heo and Tien Hai by the end of this year.

By 2015, Hon Tre commune, Kien Hai district will be connected to the national grid electricity through a 13-km long 22kV power line running from Tho Son commune in the mainland district of Hon Dat.

Between 2016-2020, the province will focus on upgrading old power stations and building two new ones in Hon Thom commune, Phu Quoc district to ensure power supply to populated areas.

In a separate project, a undersea cable is being built to bring electricity from Ha Tien commune to Phu Quoc Island, which is expected to be completed and put into use in the first quarter of 2014. The project is being implemented by Italy’s Spysmian Powerlink SRL Group at an investment of 2.4 trillion VND (114 million USD) funded by World Bank loans.-VNA