Workers install power cables on the seabed off the coast of Nhon Chau island commune (Photo: VNA) Binh Dinh (VNA) – The island commune of Nhon Chau in central Binh Binh province has now gained access to the national grid thanks to an EU-funded project whose completion was marked with a ceremony in Quy Nhon city on October 10.
The project, providing electricity from the national grid via submarine cables, was invested with 351.5 billion VND (nearly 15.2 million USD) in total, including 280 billion VND in non-refundable ODA capital sponsored by the EU and the rest covered by the Central Power Corporation under the Vietnam Electricity (EVN) group.
EVN General Director Tran Dinh Nhan said this project is among important ones of the group.
Between 2013 and 2019, EVN worked to supply power for nine island districts and 74 communes with more than 380,000 household beneficiaries. All communes and 99.52 percent of households nationwide had gained electricity by the end of 2019, he added.
Ambassador Giorgio Aliberti, head of the EU Delegation to Vietnam, highly valued the country’s breakthrough development in electrification, with over 99 percent of the population accessing stable power supply at reasonable prices.
He noted that energy is among the spheres the EU and Vietnam have had close cooperation in, and the EU has assisted the Vietnamese Government to carry out the target programme on the electrification of rural, mountainous and insular areas.
The submarine cables expanding the national grid to Nhon Chau Island is a success story of the cooperation among the EU, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, EVN and local authorities, according to the diplomat.
He also took this occasion to call on islanders to consume electricity efficiently and consider using renewable energy by installing rooftop solar panels.
Chairman of the Binh Dinh People’s Committee Ho Quoc Dung said the project ensures high-quality power supply for 600 households in Nhon Chau, which is an important prerequisite for the island to develop industry, trade, services and tourism, helping to safeguard the country’s maritime sovereignty and contributing to local sustainable development./.
VNA
