Vietnam: Foreign investors eye wind power projects in Bac Lieu

Vietnam: Foreign investors eye wind power projects in Bac Lieu

UPC Renewables Group and UK's Kimin Power Company have reported on the feasibility of the wind power projects in the southern province of Bạc Liêu that the two companies are planning to invest in.

It was part of the agenda of the meetings between the two investors and leaders of Bạc Liêu Province on Sunday.

At the first meeting with UPC Renewables, the company's representative presented a detailed report on the establishment and operation capability of UPC, a company specialising in renewable energy.

So far, the company has invested more than US$3 billion globally and installed projects with total capacity of 2,000MW.

In Bạc Liệu, UPC plans to invest in a plant in Vĩnh Lợi District with total capacity of 200MW, expected to be in two phases -- phase 1 with 50MW and phase 2 with 150MW.

UPC expressed its desire to introduce a project on pre-feasibility study of wind power onshore, to seek investment licence in the province.

If the province approves UPC's investment plan, the company will purchase the equipment within a period of six months, subsequently install the equipment in three months and then run the operation trial test for one month.

UPC has also collected statistics of wind power and estimated power output of the plant, while forecasting the difficulties encountered during implementation, construction and proposing solutions to deal with them.

Along with deploying the project, UPC will seek permission to expand the province's 220kV transformer station. Previously, the company also studied on the ways of transporting equipment and found it capable of transporting equipment safely.

Speaking at the meeting, chairman of Bạc Liêu Province's People's Committee Dương Thành Trung said that if the project is successfully implemented, it will open up new prospects in the field of renewable energy, not only in Bạc Liêu, but also in the entire Mekong Delta region and the whole country. Therefore, the province would create the most favourable conditions for the project to be implemented soon, he added.

The province also highly appreciated the preparation of UPC investors for this project, Trung noted.

On the same day, the province's leaders held a meeting with UK's Kimin Power Company.

Kimin Power's representative said the company has witnessed renewable energy activities in Việt Nam for three years and invested in solar power in some central provinces.

The corporation is seeking investment opportunities in Bạc Liêu, which has the potential to produce wind and solar power with estimated capacity of 500MW.

The chairman of the provincial People's Committee said Bạc Liêu has great potential for wind power. The province's wind power potential is estimated to reach up to 7,000MW by the Government.

For solar power as well, Bạc Liêu is very ideal, due to sufficient sunlight and no storms and floods, making it suitable for solar power investment combined with aquaculture.

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Link to Original Article: http://vietnamnews.vn/bizhub/378559/bac-lieu-foreign-investors-eye-wind-power-projects.html#UWljjadRMTyzEwIe.97

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John Diecker
APT Consulting Group Co., Ltd.

www.aptthailand.com